


A Fighting Chance- Babylon 5 Minbari War AU

by Misrule81



Category: Babylon 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:16:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 163,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24444943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misrule81/pseuds/Misrule81
Summary: Greetings.This story is based on the idea that the Dilgar Imperium in some form managed to survive beyond the destruction of their homeworld and chooses to provide help to Earth as they battle the Minbari.The goal is to make one small but important change (in this case give Earth the ability to beat Minbari stealth and jamming technology) and see how things can change.The story itself is a few years old and has seen a few variations, but this is the definitive and most complete text made available here for ease of reading.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

1

Earth Dome

Geneva

Capital of the Earth Alliance

This had been the longest week of her life, every hour a century, every minute a lifetime. Each single dull tick of the antique clock making her feel like she was wobbling on some precipice perpetually on the point of losing her balance but not yet falling into oblivion. She had power, more than she had wanted along with all the responsibilities that came with that. She was popular with the public, charismatic, well liked by the media, everything had come together with surprising beauty making her Presidency so much better than she could have hoped for.

Naturally she knew most of that wasn’t directly attributable to her leadership, mostly it was a reaction to the economic boom and expansion Earth was enjoying after the Dilgar War. Many referred to it as a golden age, the final realisation of Humanity’s place in the galaxy and all President Elizabeth Levy had to do was helm the ship of progress, not interfere in the day to day business of expansion, and reap the benefits that came with association.

For fifteen years it had worked and worked magnificently, her first term had been one of the easiest rides any EA President had enjoyed and this second term had been going the same way. There had been a bit of a confrontation with the Gaim, a few minor border incidents, but in general the golden age had entirely lived up to its name.

Ten days ago the golden age had ended in spectacular style, careening over a cliff like a runaway train impossible to halt or recover. A border patrol and reconnaissance operation to identify the limits of Minbari space had gone catastrophically wrong and Levy was now staring a full scale war in the face. As Earth had expanded into uncontested space the explorer divisions had become aware of an encoded jump network at the edges of their range indicating a major civilisation, most likely a race known as the Minbari, a name that had cropped up now and again in dealings with other powers. Information on them was scarce and shrouded in myths about ancient wars and demons of the dark making an accurate assessment impossible, Earth had decided to find out for itself who the Minbari were.

The first stage was a very simple mission that in theory could not possibly go wrong, a straight forward scout force that would head outside EA space and look for the Minbari border. They had a good idea where to start in the beacon network, it wasn’t a long way from the EA border and the whole region was quiet. It was a cake walk.

The Explorer division offered to do it themselves, they even stated they wouldn’t have to use one of the brand new gigantic deep range explorers, for a quick hop like this an old Oracle class scout would do the job, but the military objected. With the amount of mystery surrounding the Minbari and their apparent martial culture the Joint Chiefs recommended a military patrol be diverted instead, just in case. A standard task force built on a Dreadnought and two cruisers could be quickly deployed as an escort for an Explorer ship in case the Minbari were not friendly.

While the naval presence was not considered necessary it was ultimately approved, as was giving overall command of the mission to the task force commander, one Michael Jankowski.

His appointment was met with mixed views. There was a strong but fruitless move to appoint a solid XO to his command as a form of balance, a promising young officer who happened to be the son of the Foreign Secretary David Sheridan, but the post was refused and an officer of Jankowski’s recommendation was appointed instead. As son in law of the former Secretary of State Jankowski was well connected politically with a lot of friends, glossing over his mediocre and at times downright reckless military career. It was an open secret that the only reason the Joint Chiefs accepted the pressure to put Jankowski in charge was because it was seen as a fool proof easy patrol and that it would finally allow them to promote him to a desk. There he could gather dust with all the other useless ornaments the EA had to endure thanks to political meddling.

The mission was approved, it departed with extremely strict rules of engagement including an absolute cast iron order that under no circumstances was Jankowski to approach any ship, structure or colony he may find and was to immediately depart if he saw anything resembling civilisation. First contact would be handled by a professional team at a later date once the location of Minbari space was confirmed.

What nobody had expected was that Jankowski would not only ignore his orders, but violate them so spectacularly that no one in the chain of command could have predicted what would follow. It was so far beyond a worse case scenario it simply had not crossed the mind of anyone in the military or government. The sheer cavalier disregard for his orders struck dumb everyone who saw the truth, something which had taken a few days to unravel after Jankowski’s initial after action report had turned out to be the most convoluted work of fiction in recent memory.

The arrogance of one man had put not just President Levy but every human in the galaxy in the middle of a vice that was just about to begin squeezing. In her office sat in a semicircle before her desk waited four men, all of them drawn and grim looking. None of them looked like they had slept much since the incident, appearing instead to have added a decade to their respective ages these past few days. She probably looked the same to them.

These men were her link to the Alliance in the current crisis, Foreign Secretary David Sheridan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Ari Ben Dayan, Director of the Earth Intelligence Agency Victor Chapel, and the local commander of Earth space’s Minbari facing border Robert Lefcourt.

‘Before we go anywhere else, just clarify this Jankowski situation for me.’ Levy requested wearily, the name capable of inflicting actual mental pain every time she heard it.

‘The initial tribunal has placed full responsibility on Jankowski for the incident.’ General Dayan informed. A squat Israeli with prickly grey hair that seemed to be the current cut for military officers, Dayan had earned his reputation in the Dilgar war. He was an Army Officer, his khaki duty uniform heavy with ribbons and braid advertising his skill and success. ‘At the moment he is under house arrest pending full Court Martial.’

‘Someone leaked the story to ISN, the media is going wild.’ Chapel told the group in his usually steady voice both deliberate and clear. A heavily built man Chapel had been a successful field agent and protege of the Dilgar war era Director Karl Durban, currently Levy’s Vice President. Chapel was less diplomatic then his mentor, much more plain speaking and to the point, but also quick witted and insightful. He also had garnered a darker reputation for ruthlessness and bypassing the law if it got the job done. ‘All of Jankowski’s political allies have gone very quiet. He’s getting hung out to dry.’

‘He admits lying on his report claiming the Minbari fired first without provocation.’ Lefcourt added. ‘That in itself will get him stripped of rank and thrown in jail. Violating orders on this scale would see him imprisoned and then dishonourably discharged. Firing on an alien ship’ I don’t even know if we have a punishment for that.’

‘Death of personality.’ Dayan informed flatly.

‘He has no personality.’ Chapel grunted. ‘We should deal with him the old fashioned way.’

‘I’d suggest another option.’ The fourth man spoke. ‘Extradition to Minbar.’

David Sheridan was one of the most influential men in the Alliance, quietly spoken, unassuming in appearance and largely unthreatening it was a carefully crafted image that drew from his naturally easy going attitude. Sheridan’s instincts were almost supernatural, his skill as a negotiator virtually unmatched by anyone. He had achieved significant success during the period of expansion securing Earth’s borders with existing powers, building on the goodwill of the Dilgar Conflict and ensuring humanity’s expansion was largely free of interference from Alien governments. His talents as a negotiator also translated rather handily to the poker table, half of Earth Dome owed him money.

‘Give Jankowski to the Minbari?’ Chapel folded his lips into a grim smile. ‘I like that.’

‘It might take the edge off their anger, open the way for talks.’ Sheridan expanded the point. ‘All we need to do is get them to the table, even one session of negotiations will give us at least something to work with. Right now we’ve got nothing.’

‘Still no communication with the Minbari?’ Levy asked.

‘Nothing.’ Chapel confirmed. ‘We know they can hear us, the Centauri offered us their archives including frequencies they’ve used to talk to the Minbari in the past. They’re just ignoring us.’

‘Why?’

‘My people haven’t been able to crack their military communications yet, but we have sent probes into Minbari space to monitor civilian broadcasts.’ Chapel told the group. ‘We picked up their version of ISN, apparently Jankowski managed to kill their President.’

Levy buried her face in her hands. ‘That’s all we needed. Is there anyway he could have screwed us more?’

‘Dukhat, their leader, was more than just a President.’ Sheridan explaine din more detail. ‘He was held in great reverence, more so than any Minbari leader for generations as far as I can tell. It’s hard to get a clear picture without context, but according to the Markab Ambassador he was both a leader and a Religious Icon, virtually worshipped. Jankowski might as well have put a bullet in Jesus or Mohammed.’

‘From what we’ve seen its hysteria.’ Chapel continued. ‘From all accounts Minbari are very cool and calm, but when they heard about this Dukhat guy they were literally rioting in the streets. Almost completely unprecedented.’

‘To say they’re pretty pissed is an understatement.’ Sheridan grunted. ‘It’s a Crusade, a Jihad. They’re calling for our extinction.’

Levy sighed heavily, her easy run was definitely over.

‘Is there any chance of a diplomatic solution?’

‘At this point, with the Minbari not even taking our calls?’ Sheridan shook his head. ‘We can try Jankowski, see if they bite, but otherwise we need a different response.’

‘Then we come to you General.’ Levy directed her view to Dayan. ‘Have we heard anything from the Cyrus battlegroup?’

‘No Madam President.’ Dayan returned sombrely. ‘To the best of our knowledge they have been destroyed completely.’

‘Ten Dreadnoughts and thirty Cruisers plus escorts.’ Lefcourt provided the details. ‘Our main combat force in the area, a rapid reaction fleet to hit any surprise attack with overwhelming force.’

‘And the Minbari just wiped them out?’

‘It appears so yes.’ Dayan fought to keep a straight face. ‘So far we’ve lost two bases, twelve Dreadnoughts and thirty six cruisers.. more lives than in every battle since the end of the Dilgar war.’

‘We’ve also lost contact with Cyrus Colony, it’s either under siege, in the process of being stormed,’ Lefcourt exhaled heavily. ‘Or they just wiped it off the surface of the planet from orbit.’

‘Eight thousand civilians.’ Sheridan informed. ‘A mining colony.’

‘We’re arranging a recon flight, quick jump in and out.’ Chapel said. ‘Be a few days to get out there though, most of our assets were watching the Narn.’

‘At this point we know relatively little about Minbari capabilities.’ Dayan said. ‘What we do know is we are massively outclassed in all aspects of space warfare.’

The statement drew glances from the rest of the room, all of them increasingly worried. Dayan did not exaggerate, he didn’t panic or use hyperbole, he spoke only in hard truths.

‘How bad is it out there’ Sheridan asked with a heavy frown.

‘We have data from the loss of Spartan Station and from the Prometheus Task Force.’ Dayan shared. ‘Just as powerful is the lack of data from Cyrus. Based on our beacons we know roughly how many Minbari ships jumped into the Cyrus system, we had them outnumbered. There is nothing I’ve seen that can take ten Dreadnoughts in a straight fight, not without heavy casualties, not even the best Centauri fleets could go in there and win without crippling damage. Whatever the Minbari did they did it so fast those ships couldn’t even send a distress signal.’

‘Spartan station was an Orion base, build to act as a fortress. In the past they’ve defeated whole fleets of ships, they’re the keystone in any defensive operation.’ Lefcourt proceeded. ‘The Minbari killed it with one ship, and a damaged ship at that. One of the vessels the Prometheus struck.’

‘Just sliced it to pieces from range.’ The Army General concluded. ‘Their weapons go through our armour like it doesn’t exist, an Orion base can soak up massive firepower and it didn’t help one bit. They out range us, out gun us and can run down our ships with their superior speed. And that isn’t the worst of it.’

‘Go on.’

‘They use some form of active stealth that negates our targeting sensors. We know they are there but we can’t get a clean lock.’ Dayan grimaced, shaking his head. ‘Without a lock given the ranges of regular combat its virtually impossible to hit the enemy. The Prometheus managed it because they were at point blank range, nobody else has lived long enough to get that close again.’

‘Our people are working on it, trying to figure out what it is.’ Chapel said. ‘It’s still too early to know for sure.’

‘Alright.’ Levy rubbed her heavy eyes. ‘Alright, that’s the bad news. Give me some good news.’

‘We’ve begun mobilising the reserve units.’ Dayan answered. ‘Given the apparent scale of this conflict I want to ask the Senate to approve total mobilisation and a recall order for former personnel.’

‘How many Personnel?’

‘Enough to crew the mothball fleets. It is my recommendation, and the recommendation of Admiral Ferguson that we reactivate the vessels we put into storage after the Dilgar war.’

‘It’ll take at least two months to bring those ships to active status.’ Lefcourt mentioned. ‘We’re also looking to recall our ships from League space and redeploy them to the Minbari Front.’

‘The League patrols have been a major diplomatic boost.’ Sheridan offered. ‘But I think the League has recovered enough to hold its own by now. I’d expect to see some friction with the Narn but nothing major if we bring our people home.’

‘Given the possible scale of this war I strongly recommend it.’ The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs echoed.

‘What about our allies?’ Levy asked.

‘The League has offered us diplomatic support and what economic aide they can spare, which isn’t much.’ Sheridan shrugged apologetically. ‘The Dilgar inflicted massive damage on League infrastructure during the war, they can barely support themselves.’

‘So noted.’ Levy affirmed.

‘But on a positive note the Brakiri, Markab and Drazi have said they are prepared to deploy warships to support us if required.’ Sheridan added with a smile. ‘I wouldn’t expect more than token fleets from Brakir and the Markab, their forces are still weak, but the Drazi could be a major help.’

‘What about the other main powers?’

‘So far not much. I have meetings with Ambassador Mollari and Ambassador G’Kar set up. The Centauri are already back peddling hard, you should see how many are suddenly finding they have urgent business far away from Earth Space.’

‘Like they know something we don’t.’ Chapel grunted in disgust.

‘The Narn are a bit more receptive, probably looking to fill the vacuum the Centauri are leaving as they run for home.’ Sheridan reasoned. ‘I wouldn’t expect warships but we might have something to gain from them.’

‘That just leaves the wild card.’ Levy looked to Sheridan. ‘What about the Dilgar?’

It was the obvious question. The Dilgar had torn the league apart, only the intervention by Earth had prevented the feline species becoming the biggest single power in local space. The Dilgar had been pushed back, the main worlds freed, but a sudden fierce counter attack at Balos had stalled the offensive. The war turned into a massive grinding battle that pushed both sides to breaking point, leading to a stalemate as both sides found they didn’t have the resources to break through.

With the war paused and both sides rebuilding the unthinkable happened, the Dilgar requested a truce for negotiations. Realising they could not win a protracted war but that they were also in a position to exact a huge toll in blood on the Allies the Dilgar proposed a compromise. They would withdraw from all League member worlds provided they could maintain control of the seized independent worlds of Alaca, Tirrith and Balos.

The initial proposal was rejected, but after the massive casualties suffered at Balos there was a strong popular groundswell on Earth to reach a settlement. In order to placate the League’s demand for blood and Earth’s commitment to liberating the league President Hauser offered different terms. The Dilgar could keep Alaca and Tirrith, but not Balos. They must also leave Drazi, Hyach and Abbai space at once and withdraw any guerrilla forces left behind allied lines. Finally, and crucially, they must surrender all known war criminals for trial on Earth.

To almost universal surprise the Dilgar agreed with one caveat, they would not turn over Jha’dur, most wanted of the war criminals. The Drazi rejected the treaty and launched an immediate attack against Omelos that failed spectacularly, leaving the Drazi virtually defenceless and unable to do anything to prevent a Dilgar counter attack except accept peace. The armistice was signed, and the war ended. A few years later the Dilgar sun somehow went Nova, ripping the heart from their Imperium but not apparently dooming them.

While greatly reduced the Dilgar population survived, two billions of them living on their newly acquired worlds. After the Nova the Drazi took another shot at ending the grudge with a limited invasion that was easily turned aside. Despite being much smaller the Dilgar remained exceptional soldiers with a new generation of surprisingly powerful warships that made their borders secure enough. They seemed content to hide behind their borders and tend their weakened population, but nobody had forgotten their actions in the League and Earth Force maintained strong formations in the League to counter any second invasion.

‘I’ll be speaking with a Dilgar representative when we’re done here.’ Sheridan said. ‘Low key, no need to let the League know.’

‘Very well.’ Levy affirmed. ‘Director Chapel?’

‘Enigma section is working on the Minbari transmissions, trying to break into them. They haven’t seen anything like this before, it’ll take a while.’ He reported. ‘I’m getting teams put together, working with Naval Intelligence on recon missions and infiltration, but I don’t know if we can find sympathetic Minbari to help us. We need to know more about their culture first, the lack of basic knowledge is going to hold us back on a clear course of action. We’ll deal with that first, then find weaknesses to exploit.’

‘I’ve also asked the Skunkworks to give me a full report on our advanced weapon programmes.’ Dayan added. ‘As it stands our existing systems are inadequate, anything we can acquire to add some punch to our ships would be useful.’

‘Might be worth asking the Narn and League for weapons.’ Levy suggested. ‘Anything else gentlemen?’

None of them answered.

‘Very well. This looks bad, but we’re only a week into this crisis. Do what you need to do and keep working towards a solution. The Dilgar were considered unbeatable but we still fought them to a standstill and forced them to negotiate. We need to make the Minbari see reason, and if we can’t we need to hurt them badly enough that they’ll have no choice but to listen to us. That will be all gentlemen, keep me informed.’

Her office emptied, her people at least knowing what they had to do next. Levy did not know what she had to do next, she didn’t have that clarity of purpose or that ability to bury herself in work. All she could do was wait and worry about the next step, hoping that the next meeting might give her something to cheer for.

Later that day.

Negotiating with the Dilgar was never something David Sheridan relished, it always left him feeling like a lawyer with a serial killer as a client. The war had been fifteen years ago now, the new batch of voters, soldiers and students had only vague memories of those violent days and the brutality that stalked the galaxy. To many older people, especially those in power who had largely earned their reputation in that conflict the bitterness was still easy to uncover.

Technically Earth had won the war. It wasn’t a total victory, the Dilgar had not been completely crushed, but nobody could argue that the result was not a foregone conclusion. It might have taken another year to replace warship losses and launch a fresh offensive but in the end Earth would have prevailed. Unfortunately by then the casualties in the League would have been even worse than they already were and could have resulted in the total collapse of several civilisations. Sheridan had been on the negotiation team and what had transpired was a classic case of real politik. Alaca was gone, there was no way the Allies could liberate it before the Dilgar simply murdered the population. It served only as a bargaining chip, as did Tirrith. Balos was the same from the Dilgar perspective, they couldn’t hold it so used it to sweeten the deal, offering it up to Earth in exchange for other concessions.

In exchange for galactic peace Earth had abandoned those worlds closest to the Dilgar border, the fate of their populations likely to be slavery and death. Naturally the Dilgar had signed an agreement that they would respect the rights of the sentients in their domain, a sentence that had eased the mind of the EA Senate, but it was a promise precisely no one expected them to keep. Earth signed the document anyway, and to this day a vocal slice of the public regarded it as a betrayal of the highest order.

Never the less the war ended and Earth found itself with a vast amount of influence. The Dilgar were too weak and too distant to be a serious threat, the League was smashed and needed Earth’s help to rebuild, and while the victory was not total Earth Force had clearly demonstrated its potency on the international stage. Respect was quickly turned into wealth as human companies moved in on the League, helping them rebuild while snapping up contracts with the Narn and Centauri corporations who found their League business partners either dead or ruined. For most people the economic and political prowess Earth attained from the war far outweighed the slightly unsavoury deal that ended it, and when Omelos’ star partially exploded scouring several billion Dilgar from the universe most considered it payback enough for the war.

Since that point diplomatic contact had been sparse. Aside from marking out the borders and a few communique’s over Narn expansion Earth had no contact with the Dilgar. A few merchants traded across the borders and some ridiculously optimistic missionaries sometimes tried and failed to gain entry to Alaca which had been designated the new Dilgar Homeworld, but as a rule the Dilgar were recluses. This meeting was unusual.

He paused at the door, hand on the handle, steeling himself. Sheridan made sure he was in full control of his composure, calmness descending over him like a curtain of rain driving any emotional or impulsive thoughts from him. The Dilgar were reviled, but he was as concerned as the President with the developments on the Minbari front. If the Dilgar had something to offer he’d sit down, play nice and let them talk.

It still felt like he was about to cut a deal with the devil.

He opened the door with his best expression of sincerity, the representative of the Imperium standing to meet him. Sheridan had not been informed who was coming and was immediately surprised to see the uniform of a Warmaster. It was extremely rare to see a Warmaster outside Dilgar space, especially this far away. While the galaxy was technically at peace most League nations ran bounties on the head of any Warmaster running into the tens of millions of credits. The bounty on the head of the most famous Warmaster of all was over eleven figures at last count.

‘Mr Sheridan.’ The Dilgar spoke in clear English. ‘I am glad you chose to see me, I realise it is an awkward situation given our history.’

That was an understatement of biblical proportions.

‘Earth is always ready to talk to other governments.’ Sheridan replied diplomatically, sifting the feline face through his memory. ‘Warmaster Dal’shan.’

‘You remember me.’ The Dilgar officer inclined his head in a gesture of slight appreciation. ‘We met briefly at the armistice, my father was the Supreme Warmaster.’

‘I remember.’ Sheridan gestured for the man to sit. ‘Please.’

‘You made a favourable impression, calm and even tempered in a very tense and emotional cauldron.’ Dal’shan settled. ‘My father respected you, something few can claim.’

‘How is Gar’shan, didn’t you make him Emperor?’

‘Yes, largely ceremonial of course. The war ruined his health, he could no longer serve as our leader but he remains our spiritual ruler. Sadly his health is growing worse, I fear his time is short.’

Sheridan felt precisely no sympathy.

‘And Deathwalker? I’m sorry, I meant Jha’dur?’ He asked, making no error in his phrasing of words.

‘She is well, she keeps a low profile.’

Sheridan bet she damn well did.

‘Alright Warmaster, now the fake pleasantries are over lets get to the point.’

‘I assure you Mr Sheridan I am sincere.’ Dal’shan spoke with a hint of wounded feelings. ‘Many of my people are hated, many of them deserve it, but some of us adhere to old concepts such as honour, professionalism, even compassion. I am sure you have read my war record, your spies were very efficient. You know I am not lying.’

He had a point, Dal’shan had been arguably the most skilled Dilgar warship Captain, his warship fighting hard and well in several major battles. As far as anyone knew Dal’shan had never fired on a target that couldn’t fire back and had never ordered a strike on civilians.

‘I accept your war record.’ Sheridan nodded. ‘But a few good officers don’t balance the atrocities of that war.’

‘No they don’t, but I assure you the current leadership of the Imperium is made up of those who have no blood on their hands. Supreme Warmaster Dar’sen for instance is afforded respect by all of his enemies, even the Drazi.’

‘And Jha’dur?’

‘She is an adviser only, she holds the rank of Warmaster but is not part of the council.’ Dal’shan clarified. ‘She does not make policy. Lately she has returned to her scientific studies.’

‘I think we are all aware of what her interpretation of ‘scientific study’ gave the galaxy.’ Sheridan kept his voice steady. ‘We had to use an orbital strike to seal the mass graves on Balos.’

‘I’m not here to make excuses, the war had many crimes and many criminals. We surrendered the senior officers to you for trial and punishment. Very violent punishment.’

Sheridan winced slightly.

‘Earth favoured death of personality for the sentence, but the League outvoted us.’

‘As I recall the punishment was to be thrown in a pit with a mob of drug frenzied Drazi.’ Dal’shan spoke eloquently. ‘Not a pleasant end, beaten and torn limb from limb by a pack of animals.’

‘Not what we would have advised.’ Sheridan fixed his eyes on the Dilgar. ‘But not exactly altruistic on your part either. Don’t think we didn’t notice that every officer you sent us for trial also happened to be political rivals including the old Warmaster Council.’

‘They were guilty.’

‘They also stood in your way. You just took the opportunity to purge your government and military of rivals, a coup to ensure your faction retained power, and you had us do it for you.’

‘This is why my father respected you Mr Sheridan.’

‘Was it his idea or Jha’dur’s?’ Sheridan asked. ‘Clear out your problems at home and win currency with your enemies at the same time’ Very efficient Warmaster.’

‘It was.’ Dal’shan agreed. ‘We knew what was coming, we knew the majority of the Dilgar would die sooner or later, so why not die to help the survivors’ We were given an unusual opportunity, a way to sort out the strong from the weak and ensure the survival of those best suited for the future.’

Dal’shan did not flinch as he spoke, believing his words entirely.

‘The people we saved from Omelos were the best of our race. Those who looked to the future, visionaries, radicals, those who wanted a change. The Imperium you fought against was shaped by war, by the need to fight for our survival, to prevent our extinction. But now that war is over, we can live on as a new Dilgar race shaped by a need to prosper, not simply conquer. We are still warriors Mr Sheridan, but we have what we needed to fight for. We are no longer enemies.’

The Dilgar relaxed his posture a little.

‘You have other enemies these days.’

Sheridan nodded, there was no way to hide that fact.

‘We do, but if you think this presents an opportunity to squeeze some sort of concessions from us?’

‘You misunderstand me Mr Sheridan, as I have said we have no need to expand.’ Dal’shan spoke openly, Sheridan paying attention to the more subtle hints his body language offered. ‘I am here to offer you some assistance.’

It wasn’t exactly what Sheridan expected, it took years of training to keep his expression neutral.

‘You want to help us?’

‘In a way.’ The Warmaster confirmed. ‘I understand the League are offering warships, that is not our goal.’

‘How would you know that?’

‘I’m sure you remember our intelligence agencies during the war. As I understand one infiltrated this very building.’

‘Before he was detected and neutralised.’ Sheridan also reminded. ‘What is it you are offering?’

‘My people are not much older than yours, like you we have no real experience with the Minbari. There was a brief altercation after Balos which went poorly for both sides?’

‘We have no record of that?’

‘It was a brief skirmish, a Minbari ship attempted to abduct Jha’dur. We drove them off but at a high cost, so we know what it is to fight a Minbari ship.’

‘By this point so do we.’ Sheridan replied. ‘I don’t think there is much more you can tell us.’

‘Except that the biggest problem fighting Minbari is their stealth systems, their jamming technology.’ Dal’shan arrived at his point. ‘We can give you the means to defeat it.’

Sheridan did not react at once, very carefully weighing his words.

‘As far as our people can tell nobody has found a way to defeat Minbari technology. Not the Centauri or even the Abbai and Hyach, races with much older technology and far more resources than the Dilgar.’

‘And yet we have the ability to scan, target and lock Minbari ships.’ Dal’shan reiterated. ‘The war is young but your Generals are no fools, they must already be aware of how this war will go if you cannot hit the enemy at normal combat ranges.’

‘They do.’ Sheridan confirmed, no point denying it.

‘With our help you can at least fight back. We can’t help you with much else, the Minbari are still old and powerful, but what we offer could make the difference.’

‘How do you have this technology?’

‘I can’t tell you. All I can tell you is that it does work. Of course you can try it yourself, we will provide samples and blueprints. We won’t even charge you for it beyond the cost of materials and labour.’

‘You’re just giving us this? Why? Why help us? We beat you in the war, why aren’t you cheering on the Minbari?’

‘Because while we don’t exactly like humanity we do respect you. You matched us, fought us fairly. Your victory came from skill and determination, something we didn’t think any other race could match us with. It was a fair fight and we lost fairly. This war with the Minbari, it isn’t a fair fight.’

‘That isn’t really answering my question.’ Sheridan pressed.

‘Then perhaps this will.’ The Dilgar spoke seriously. ‘They tried to kidnap Jha’dur, sneaking in while we were weak to snatch her. Nobody knows why. At least you met us face to face, the Minbari did not. They made a lot of enemies that day, killed a lot of good soldiers who would have sat beside me on the council. The Minbari spilled the blood of our friends and tried to take our most innovative leader as some sort of prize.’

Dal’shan scoffed angrily at the notion.

‘We chose to take it personally. If you want to know exactly why we are making this offer, it is because Warmaster Jha’dur personally proposed it. She wants to see Minbari pay in blood for their raid on us, and can think of nobody better than you to do it.’

‘So that’s it?’ Sheridan chuckled. ‘It’s payback? Petty revenge?’

‘Jha’dur can certainly hold a grudge.’ Dal’shan accepted. ‘But what does it matter to you what the motives are? The result is the same, you will have the ability to beat their stealth systems.’

‘And you want no concessions? No extortion?’

‘Our reward is watching Minbari die.’ Dal’shan replied coldly. ‘We are a reformed species, but we are still Dilgar and we can still take pleasure in the suffering of those who have wronged us.’

Sheridan studied the Warmaster carefully, selecting one of the known honourable Dilgar could have been a trick, a way to create a false sense of trust, but there had been nothing in his manner to suggest a lie. Sheridan was damn good at reading people, including aliens, and his instincts were telling him that this man at least believed what he was saying. He also knew from the EIA that Dal’shan was considered the second most powerful man in the current Imperium and probably the next Supreme Warmaster. Nobody would be fool enough to send him all this way with a fake story.

‘I can take your offer to my superiors.’ Sheridan answered. ‘I’ll need to get this from the top.’

‘Understood.’ Dal’shan said. ‘How long will it take?’

‘Probably a day, first to check the details, then to get a decision.’

‘I’d suggest keeping it quiet. Your allies may not like you cutting a deal with us.’

‘I’ll have my people put you in a suite until we’re ready, maximum security. You have my personal guarantee of safety.’

‘I trust your word Mr Sheridan. And I hope the degree of trust I have shown by travelling here underlines how serious we are.’

‘I think it does Warmaster.’ Sheridan stood, the Dilgar leader doing the same. ‘I should go talk to some people.’

‘I am glad they sent you, it was agreeable to see you are well.’ Dal’shan spoke. ‘We did monstrous things as a people, but who can claim they have never done so? Don’t judge us by what we were, but by what we are.’

‘Some of you deserve that title.’

‘Some of us, but we still need some of those monsters for their other skills. You have done this before in your past, forgiving your worst enemies, those who committed terrible crimes, because they helped you afterwards in other conflicts. Humans are practical enough not to refuse a gift like this because of where it comes from.’

‘We’ll see if that is true tomorrow.’

Dal’shan nodded. ‘Until then Mr Sheridan.’

‘Warmaster.’ Sheridan nodded a farewell and left the room, exhaling hard as the door clicked shut behind him. He took a long moment to consider the situation, discern what had happened, then tapped the link on the back of his hand.

‘Sheridan to Earth Dome Chief of Staff. I need an immediate meeting with the President and her core advisers. I think hell just froze over.’


	2. Chapter 2

2

Geneva

Earth

“There is something very wrong with this picture.” Chapel stated firmly, his lined expression underlining the point. “I don’t believe it for a second.”

“The Warmaster sounded genuine.” Sheridan responded with a slight shrug. “I know Dilgar Madam President, they’re quite similar to us in how they communicate. If he was lying I’m pretty sure I could have spotted it.”

“Or he’s just a damn good liar.” Chapel warned.

“That is a possibility.” Sheridan accepted in his Southern twang. “I wouldn’t recommend jumping in feet first, but we can’t afford to ignore something like this.”

President Levy accepted both opinions with a nod of acknowledgement.

“To say it’s a surprise doesn’t do it justice.” She offered her thoughts. “It sounds a lot like the Dilgar are giving us what we need exactly when we need it. It’s damn convenient.”

“We know from the war the Dilgar had surprisingly good sensors.” Chapel reminded. “It is possible, but I can’t see them just anteing up something like this. It’s a major advantage and nobody just gives away their edge on somebody else.”

“Especially not a power as reviled and under threat as the Dilgar.” Sheridan had to agree. “But whatever the motives we have to give it consideration.”

“Do we believe what they are saying?” Levy sought her advisers opinions. “That this is about revenge?”

Beside Chapel and Sheridan General Dayan had returned this time joined by Earth’s Secretary of State, Luis Santiago. Santiago was not part of Levy’s political party but his skill and popularity had earned him a place in the cabinet. He was amiable and open minded, a career politician with a strong record as a diplomat and facilitator. Like Sheridan he was an extremely sharp man but masked much of that wit behind the veneer of a friendly faced elder statesman.

“We have to consider the source of the offer.” Santiago raised. “It isn’t just from the Dilgar government, from what the Warmaster said this offer started with Jha’dur. This isn’t simply a matter of politics, it’s a personal offer from the most evil creature still drawing breath.”

Nobody suggested he was exaggerating. Warmaster Jha’dur was the most famous, or perhaps infamous, of her race. If it was possible to distil the Dilgar into one being, to condense and emphasise their traits into a single form she was it. Extremely intelligent, resourceful, considered and innovative she had out thought and then beaten every opponent she faced. She had lost battles and suffered massive casualties at Earth’s hands but in the end had rallied at Balos and held the line until the Allied offensive ran out of steam. It was generally accepted she had almost single handedly saved her people from utter defeat through sheer skill and determination, something which demanded respect.

She was also cruel, sadistic, vindictive and quite probably psychotic on a scale that dwarfed any known war criminal in the history of the known worlds. The qualities that would have earned her grudging respect in her enemies were completely obscured by her horrific excesses when it came to pacifying the worlds she had conquered. Nobody knew the true death toll of the war, but it easily exceeded ten billion and a lot of that was placed at her feet.

Even worse for many people was the personal enjoyment she was rumoured to take in experimenting on individuals. Rather than leave the task to orbital strikes she preferred to use biological weapons and took glee in experimenting on living beings, inflicting tortures that were beyond repeating. Evil was a word that was used a lot in every day life and to many had lost its potency. Someone like Jha’dur gave evil back its true definition.

“I’ve seen the aftermath of some of her other gifts.” Dayan curled his lips into a snarl. “There aren’t enough body bags on the planet to deal with what she does to people.”

“I can believe that she holds a grudge.” Sheridan weighed in. “If it is true that the Minbari attacked her I can understand why she’d want to hit back. What does concern me is that she isn’t doing it personally.”

“Most psychopaths I’ve dealt want to be the one dishing out the pain.” Chapel agreed. “It isn’t enough to watch somebody else doing it. I’m sure she’ll be glad to see a whole bunch of Minbari burn, but I seriously doubt that’s the real reason behind this.”

“Which begs the question what is?” Levy asked. “Opinions?”

“I think she’s trying to drive a wedge between this government and the League.” Sheridan suggested. “She offers us help, then lets it leak out that we’re making under the table deals with the most hated race in the universe.”

“It’ll piss off the League.” Chapel nodded. “Especially the Drazi, they were very keen to wipe the Dilgar off the map, still are.”

“The Drazi who are the only ones to offer us substantial military aide.” Dayan reminded the room. “That could have some serious backlash.”

“If we accept this I strongly suggest we talk to the League.” Santiago spoke. “Make sure the Dilgar can’t use this to bite us in the back side later.”

“Will the League accept it if we are open?” The President asked.

“It’s possible.” Sheridan nodded. “Most have heard of the Minbari, some of the older powers are very wary of them. They’ll understand that we’re going to need help to stand a fair chance in this war and if they can’t offer it we’ll go to someone who can.”

“We’ve got a lot of diplomatic currency with the alien governments.” Santiago added. “A lot of popularity. It will take a hit if we cut a deal with the Dilgar, but it’s not something that’s going to hurt us in the long term. Not diplomatically anyway.”

“We’re more worried about the system itself.” Dayan picked up a new thread of discussion. “I ran the idea past our head of research, in his view the biggest danger is hooking up an alien system from a potentially hostile power into our ships. For it to work properly we’ll need to install Dilgar software into our core systems, put their code in our main computers.”

“That doesn’t sound good.” Levy frowned.

“The sensor system is tied into everything. Navigation, communications, weapons, jump drives. If there was something hidden in there the Dilgar could seize control of our vessels remotely, completely bypassing our cyber warfare defences.”

“That’s our main concern too.” The EIA Director cautioned. “This could be an excuse to introduce a vulnerability to our ships for the Dilgar to exploit later.”

“Can we defend against it? Isolate the Dilgar systems?”

“It is possible, but if they have an aggressive virus in there it could still break through.” Chapel guessed. “I have people who can test it, but we all know how devious the Dilgar can be.”

“Well I think that covers the risks. Is it going to be worth it?”

“I don’t think so.” Dayan shook his head. “We have other methods we’re going to try first, I’m confident we can break Minbari stealth without taking candy from mass murderers.”

“I’d recommend taking a sample, one set.” Sheridan gave the opposite view. “Try it out on one ship, see how it works, if there are any anomalies.”

“I’m reluctantly in favour too.” Chapel said. “Even if we do find our own methods to beat the Minbari systems this is a chance to get a look at Dilgar technology. I know people who’d sacrifice virgins for that opportunity.”

“I’m in favour too.” Santiago concluded. “Aside from the technical aspects this has allowed us to open dialogue with elements in the Dilgar Imperium. At some point in the future we are going to have to engage with them, I’d rather open talks with someone like Dal’shan than Jha’dur and her kind.”

It was a risk, there was no doubt about it. What concerned Levy most was the speed of the offer, the fact that the Dilgar had walked in with this golden egg within two weeks of hostilities starting. Levy and her staff knew that the Minbari were turning into a massive threat but not many others did, the loss of Cyrus Colony and the ease it was taken weren’t public knowledge. Indeed when Dal’shan departed the colony was still in human possession, before that point there were only hints at how powerful the Minbari war machines were.

It seemed to her the Dilgar had pre-empted them in recognising the dangers which to Levy confirmed that the Dilgar had indeed met the Minbari before. While she did not believe this was an act of altruism or even revenge, she could believe that payback was a motivation in it even if there was more they weren’t being told. It was dangerous, it had all the makings of a trap, but lives were at stake and if the science divisions couldn’t come up with a human engineered solution to the Minbari soon this Dilgar option might be their one choice.

“Alright David, tell the Warmaster we’ll take a few examples for evaluation.”

“Yes Madame President.”

“Ari, you take one and give it to the Skunkworks. Vic, put your best tech guys on it and make sure there are no surprises.”

“I know just the people.” Chapel confirmed.

“Better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.” Levy reasoned. “Hold off telling the League for now, if it turns out we need to deploy these devices actively we’ll talk then.”

“On that note Madame President I’ve been in contact with Admiral Thornhill of the Fourth Fleet.” General Dayan reported. “Her forces are fully supplied and ready to move to Cyrus.”

“That’s good news.” Levy nodded, exhibiting a decrease in tension. “I expected it to take longer?”

“I guess Anne lit a fire under those rear echelon lay abouts.” Dayan cackled briefly. “She’s got her people together, we just need your final approval.”

“How many ships are we talking about?”

“Over six hundred in the fourth, all of them top of the line.” Dayan informed. “The Beta model Nova Dreadnoughts and Delta series Hyperions, much tougher than the earlier models we used against the Dilgar. They all use pulse cannons, fast firing, good range and plenty of punch.”

“So even if we can’t get a solid lock on the Minbari we can just fill space with so much gunfire it’s bound to do the job.” Chapel theorised. “How many Minbari?”

“Based on jump traffic about a hundred, hard to say for sure, but they seem to be holding station in Cyrus.” Dayan informed. “Probably waiting for reinforcements.”

“Is it possible to have one of these Dilgar sensor devices present at the battle?” Levy asked. “Have it observe from range, test its claims?”

“If they can give us an example within the week, probably.” Chapel answered.

“Try and do so General, mission approved.”

“Yes Madame President. I should warn you however that given the power of the Minbari fleet casualties are going to be high. I’m confident our training and spirit will carry the day, and we do outnumber the Minbari heavily, but you should still be prepared.”

“I understand General. Keep me informed of events, and on that note I think we’re done. Anything else?”

“Not at this time Madame President.”

“Thank you Gentlemen, I shall leave these matters in your capable hands.”

Alaska

North American Federation

The following day.

There were quite a few things she meant to change in the house. The vid link was a little glitchy, half the doors creaked, and then there was the doorbell. It was electronic of course but whoever had lived here before her had insisted on making the chime sound like an actual bell. She hated it, every time somebody came to call the entire house sounded like the bell tower at Notre Dame. What made it even worse was that she had just started brushing her teeth leaving her moderately indisposed.

“Freddy! Get the door!”

A few moments later the needless ‘ding dong’ sounded again, the sound being the audio equivalent of some fat schoolboy flicking her ears.

“Dammit Freddy!” She spat flecks of toothpaste on the bathroom mirror. “Door! Open! Now!”

The only response was another chime from the front door, sawing away at her nerves.

“Fine.” She spat and quickly rinsed, not fast enough to avoid another push of the button. “I hate this so much right now.”

With a hint of fire in her temper she purposefully strode across the living room, shooting a look up the stairs to the recalcitrant Freddy’s room.

“Don’t think you’ll be getting away with this!”

With the well practised resignation of a parent she opened the door, pausing in mild surprise at her guest.

“What’s up with the bell?” Vic Chapel asked. “I had a flashback to church as a kid.”

Jennifer Sakai burst into an expansive smile, her frustrations replaced swiftly by warmth.

“Vic? What are you doing out here?”

They embraced briefly as she invited him in, closing the door behind them.

“Just coming to see how my best agent is doing.” He replied, looking around the room and drinking in the details. Typical EIA operative behaviour.

“Ex-Agent.” She reminded gently. “I retired remember? Family and stuff?”

“Oh yeah, that.” He smiled over his shoulder. “How’s that working out for you?”

“You always ask that question.” She chided. “And then you talk about the good old days and how much you think I’d like to get back in the game.”

“Okay, so I’m predictable.” He shrugged with a grin. “I’m also right.”

“I’m fifteen years older and maybe five years wiser.” Jenny smiled back. “I can’t do all that spy stuff anymore, yesterday I pulled a muscle taking off a pair of boots.”

“You’re just rusty, we can fix that.”

“You’re a good friend Vic, but you suck at coercion.”

“True, I’m I bit more direct usually. Pliers, electrodes, not really that useful in polite company.”

“Nice work reminding me why I left the business in the first place. Want some snacks?”

“Sure.” Chapel dropped onto the couch. The living room was clean and spacious, one wall was entirely glass giving an amazing vista on the Alaskan wilderness beyond. Snow capped mountains and a glacial lake dominated the view with nothing resembling civilisation for a hundred miles in any direction.

“Sweet or savoury?” She fumbled through the kitchen.

“Stop putting me in these impossible situations.” Chapel dead panned.

“Both then.” She laughed. “Drink?”

“Just water, I have to fly back home, this place is harder to reach than my ex wife’s lawyers.”

“I always said I’d retire to a place where I could get away from it all.”

“Not an idle threat.” Chapel looked through the windows.

“Besides, I also made plenty of enemies.” She returned with some food and glasses of water, laying them on a coffee table. “No chance of being surprised out here.”

“Except by old friends?”

“Radar had you locked twenty miles away, but I didn’t expect you to head up here personally. I thought you’d send a minion, didn’t think you liked the cold.”

“I don’t, but I also didn’t think anyone else could do the job.”

“Alright then.” She took a drink of ice cold utterly clear water. “I know what you want.”

“Like you said, same thing we always end up talking about.” Vic confirmed her thoughts. “But this time I mean it.”

“You didn’t before? I’m wounded.”

“We always wanted you back in the Firm, but until now its been easy going. Narn plots, domestic terrorism, Mars Rebels, all day to day stuff. Of course now things have changed.”

“This whole Minbari business.” Jenny guessed.

“What do you know about it?”

“Only what’s on the news, a border skirmish, we lost a few ships, they lost a few ships, the Foreign Office is trying to open a dialogue before it escalates. I’m guessing David Sheridan is calling the shots?”

“Yeah, Sheridan is taking a lead, but the truth is much worse then what ISN is broadcasting.”

“Usually is.”

“Truth is we’ve lost nearly fifty ships in a week for as far as we can tell no Minbari casualties.”

That news definitely shook her.

“We also lost our outpost at the Spartan Transfer Point and have lost all contact with Cyrus Colony.” Vic continued. “They are over our border in strength and appear to be consolidating their position.”

“That’s sounding pretty bad.” She shook her head. “What are we doing?”

“A major counter attack is going in next week, the whole Fourth Fleet. The General’s are confident we can push them back through sheer weight of numbers if nothing else but it’s going to be bloody. The Minbari are a lot more advanced than we are, even with numbers on our side it’s going to be a bitch of a fight.”

Jenny tapped the side of her glass as she thought, her mind ticking over as it ran through the scenario.

“What happens after the battle?”

“We’re hoping a clear victory will show the Minbari we are serious, encourage them to answer our calls.” Chapel informed. “So far we have no contact, we’ve tried interlac and have some people going through Centauri translations of their language but it’s pretty complicated.”

“So we want to negotiate a settlement?”

“There are a few in the fleet who’d prefer to take the war to the Minbari, some hawks in the government are furious anyone would cross our border.” Chapel related with scorn. “But most of us want to stop this before it starts. We haven’t got much to gain by fighting and looking at what their ships are doing to ours a hell of a lot to lose.”

“Sounds like it’s a job for the Navy then.” Jenny observed. “And the diplomats.”

“It is, but I’ve also got a little side job needs doing.” Chapel crunched down on some of the snacks. “Sort of job I need a specific skill set for.”

“Retired.” Was all Jenny said. “Want me to look it up in the dictionary for you?”

“Just hear me out on this one.”

“Vic…”

“Come on, I’ve travelled a long way, and damn is it cold up here.”

She rolled her eyes despite herself.

“Fine.”

“How’s the Space Race doing?” Vic wondered.

“The Race? Pretty good last I heard. My niece was running it before she joined the Force.”

“Catherine Sakai right?”

“That’s her. When she enlisted, which for the record I was not in favour of, Jors took over. Last I heard he and Toby were running her on trips to the League.”

“She was a good little freighter, especially with all the stuff we installed on her. Still got all that gear?”

“She’s still got it. Uprated engines, interceptors, but we had to give the armed cargo pods back after the war ended. Guess Earth Force wasn’t thrilled with the idea of a bunch of civvies running around with capital grade plasma cannons and nukes.”

“That little ship did a lot of work for us against the Dilgar. I’m looking to bring her back in.” Vic revealed. “I’ve got a job for her.”

“Then you want to be talking to Jors, I’m not flying anymore.”

“No, but its not just the ship I need, I need the crew too. Francis is very eager to be back with the team.”

“Francis O’Leary.” Jenny smiled. “How is he doing? Heard he had twins?”

“His wife did all the hard work.” Vic grinned widely. “He’s fine, he runs the cyber warfare division these days but he recognises the importance of the situation and is prepared for a little fieldwork. But we need your help.”

“I’m not the one you want to be talking to.”

“You’re always my first call. I had a lot of students, you were the best.”

“I don’t see what we can do out there.” She shook her head. “What do you need the Race for anyway?”

“The details are classified, but we need a ship to test out a new form of sensor technology.”

“Why not an Earth Force ship?”

“There’s some concern over the stability of the system.” Vic said carefully. “A warship is very heavily reliant on its computers, if something goes wrong it could kill a hundred people.”

“But on the Race it’ll only kill…”

“Not what I meant.” Chapel interrupted. “The Race is an older ship, less sophisticated, far less reliant on its computers. If something goes wrong you can bypass the problem and get clear the old fashioned way. If I remember your reports fixing problems on that ship usually involved whacking something with a hammer.”

“Bizarrely it worked every time.”

“Bottom line is we need a ship with an upgraded sensor system to test this device, but simple enough so if something goes wrong you can just shut it down and make your own way out.” Vic opened his hands. “You’re the best game in town.”

With a beep the door unlocked and opened, both former field agents snapping their heads around to identify the sudden arrival to this remote location. A well wrapped up man stood in the doorway, tensed, looking ready to break into violence at a moment’s notice. He saw Chapel and at once his shoulders relaxed and his body language softened.

“Vic Chapel.” The man pulled back his hood. “I didn’t think you liked the cold?”

“I knew that was the real reason you two moved up here.” The big man smiled. “How’s it going Paul?”

“Well you know how it is.” Paul Calendar answered with a grin. “Good to be alive.”

Jenny walked over and welcomed him home with a kiss, stepping back as he hung up his coat.

“I saw the government skimmer on the pad, I was worried you were the IRS.” Paul joked. “Are you trying to recruit my girl again?”

“I’m getting predictable.” Vic chuckled. “Not good in a spy master.”

“How was Kassi?” Jenny asked. “Get her to school okay?”

“She’s fine, but she stomped her feet a bit when Freddy got to stay home.”

Compared to parenthood storming a Dilgar base was easy. Paul and Jenny had managed to raise two children in the years since the war, Alfredo who was named for their old friend Alfredo Garibaldi, and Kasumi named for Jenny’s grandmother. Alfredo was the elder at fourteen, with Kasumi a precocious and very loud six years old.

“He’s supposed to be studying, but he’s obviously playing Rebel Yell.” She sighed. “It was so much easier back in the day, if someone refused to do what you told them you just started breaking bones.”

“Which funnily enough isn’t recommended in any parenting book.” Paul shared. “I was surprised.”

“Because it would probably work.” Chapel considered. “Anyway, I was hoping to talk to you too. I have a proposal.”

“I don’t think we…”

“Does it involve money?” Paul asked. “Because I quite like money.”

“Standard rate of pay, which is very generous.”

“Paul.” Jenny fixed him with a withering stare.

“But money!”

“It’s a short term job, one mission, then you can go home.” Vic said. “You’ll have plenty of back up.”

“And the catch?” Paul asked. “There’s always a catch.”

“You’ll have to go to the Cyrus system.”

“Okay.” Paul nodded. “Long way, but okay.”

“Which just fell to the Minbari.” Jenny updated him.

“Oh.”

“I can’t tell you much more, you know how this works, but we could really use your help.”

“They want to put us back together on the Race.” Jenny said. “Like the old days.”

“You guys were a great team, and luckier than a cop in a donut factory.” Vic grinned. “I think we could use some good luck. This could be important, risky, but important.”

“If it’s just one job I think we should do it, put the old team back together.” Paul said. “And these Minbari look pretty nasty.”

“Very nasty.” Chapel confirmed. “This whole crisis is looking worse by the day, lot of people are starting to think we are in way over our heads.”

“Maybe.” Jenny exhaled. “So you need us to test some new sensor system, that I understand. You want the Race because of how it’s built, that I also understand, and you want to send Francis to run this thing which again, with him being a tech wizard, I get. But there is something I haven’t figured out yet.”

“What?”

“Me.” She answered. “Why do you need me? This mission is space based, I’m just going to be spare out there. Nowhere to infiltrate, no one to shoot, the other people on the ship can do their jobs better than I can. So why ask for me too?”

Chapel cleared his throat.

“Well there was one more thing, hardly worth mentioning before now.”

“What?”

“As part of the deal to test this new device we had to accept an observer, someone to come along with it. Another reason we didn’t want to do this on a warship where this observer might see something important.”

“What kind of observer?”

“The kind we might need someone to break the neck of if something goes wrong.”

“Which is why you are talking to me.” Jenny exhaled. “Who is it?”

“You might recognise the name.”

Alaca

New home of the Dilgar Imperium

Battlemaster Ari’shan returned the salute sharply, the two armed guards opening the heavy gateway for him to enter the compound. Security was tight here which was to be expected, the luxury single storey villa was well patrolled and surrounded by heavy walls designed to take artillery strikes. It was unfortunate but normal, since his childhood he had grown up surrounded by this sort of security and considered it part of the back ground. As a son of the former Supreme Warmaster Ari’shan had witnessed a few assassination attempts in his time, all of them fortunately unsuccessful. They had been the work of old political rivals, a culture which he was thankful to have left behind on Omelos to be burned away by the furious sun. It was one of many things he did not miss from his old home.

The sun here was paler, more distant making Alaca colder than Omelos. Generally speaking Dilgar preferred warmer climates, something more similar to the Narn homeworld would have suited them better but of course beggers could not be choosers. Mitoc would have been perfect, the original League world marked as the new home of the Imperium, but circumstances had prevented that. They were lucky to have Alaca, and while not perfect there wasn’t a soul among the remaining Dilgar who did not recall with relief the events that led them here.

The occupant of this villa in particular had guaranteed their ownership of this planet and as such the survival of the species in general. In the past this security would have been to prevent attacks by elements of their own race, today it was to defeat alien infiltrators and bounty hunters.

He confirmed his identification at the door. It was a good guess that every Dilgar alive knew his face by this point, Ari’shan had been something of a poster boy for the new Imperium, an example of the traits the Dilgar should embrace to ensure their future. Loyal, honourable, dedicated and diligent Ari’shan was hailed as something of a knight, an image greatly enhanced by his war record. He was acknowledged as the best pilot in the galaxy, his kill count more than double that of his closest rivals. Even more impressively he had never killed an enemy in cold blood and outright refused orders to fire on unarmed civilians, he only fought those who could fight him, much like his brothers.

Gar’shan had three children, Dal’shan was the eldest and joined the fleet following in his father’s footsteps as was expected, Kam’shan had joined the army rising to command a prestigious guards division, and Ari’shan as the youngest decided to join the fighter corps, a choice he had never regretted. He lived for the challenge of duelling a worthy enemy, single combat against a similar pilot plane against plane, knight against knight. It was a romantic notion, one reality kept trying to destroy, but for Ari’shan it was the only true test of a warrior’s skill.

He had fought well in the war up to Balos when he had finally met his match and was shot down by the human ace David Sinclair. After the war Ari’shan was repatriated at the insistence of Earth Force despite his family connections and League demands for his blood, his reputation as a man of honour hitting a note with his human adversaries. The war had claimed his middle brother but Dal’shan had survived to continue following his father letting Ari’shan continue much as he had before.

“You are expected Battlemaster.” The last guard told him, then opened the door. The Villa was normal looking but had a few telltale signs it had been enhanced. The doors were abnormally thick, the windows armoured, the walls and roof heavily reinforced. Outside the grounds were patrolled but inside it seemed empty, something Ari’shan knew was an illusion. He couldn’t see them but he knew they were there, Spectres, the elite of the Dilgar military, special forces agents in black light camouflage suits rendering them all but undetectable. His father had founded them and they had been enthusiastically adopted by his host.

He spotted a note on the closest chair which simply said ‘on the roof’ and pointed a drawn arrow to the staircase. It was clear enough, the officer marching up the stairs and back into the clear sunlight, the air still a little chilly despite over a decade on this world by now. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to it.

“Ari, please.” An arm stretched from a high backed chair looking outward, pointing to an accompanying chair.

He accepted the invitation, joining his host and glancing out at the view. He felt vulnerable looking out over the green countryside over the security wall, in plain sight of any snipers who could be waiting. They weren’t there for him of course, but it was still disconcerting. He constantly wondered how the person sat next to him dealt with being the focus of so much hatred and vehemence.

“Your brother is on his way back from Earth.” Warmaster Jha’dur said in deceptively casual tones, the voice of somebody living completely at ease with themselves. “It was a success, the humans have asked for three sets of targeting sensors for testing.”

“I’ll admit I’m surprised.” Ari answered truthfully. “I didn’t think they’d be ready to deal with us, even for something this valuable.”

“You can thank the Minbari for that, they have a way of forcing people to adjust their priorities.”

“Human media says the war is still very low key, a few skirmishes.”

“Obviously a lie, by this point the humans must have lost at least a task force, otherwise they wouldn’t even have opened the door for our offer.” Jha’dur reasoned. “They’ve learned the same lesson we did, the Minbari fleet is a nightmare.”

Ari shuffled to find a comfortable position, still feeling awkward.

“There’s no one out there.” Jha’dur seemed to read his mind. “My security is the best there is, even the Centauri can’t get an agent within a hundred miles, and believe me, they have tried.”

“When was that? I never heard?”

“A month ago.” She said. “The head of the Centauri Secret Service should be getting a very funny parcel in the post any day now. Well, funny if you like tentacles. Did I ever tell you about Centauri anatomy?”

“Yes, when I was ten, gods I hated that talk.”

“I’m always amazed by alien biology, so much variety, so many different methods of achieving the same thing.” She smiled. “And yet all of it so susceptible to being stabbed by sharpened pieces of metal. You’d think at least one species would be able to survive vivisection. But no.”

“So now that the humans have taken up our offer, do we proceed?” He brought them back on topic.

Her smile faded, the Warmaster looking over to her younger colleague.

“Look, Ari, when you made this suggestion I was in favour of it. I know you quite like these humans and honestly I almost like them myself, but there is a big leap between liking them and trusting them.”

“We both fought them in the war, you know what they are like.”

“Yes I do, they are willing to do what is necessary to win.” Jha’dur said harshly. “They fought decently against us, but if we had been winning and if we had been waging war in their space do you think they would have been so generous in their terms? Of course not, they’d have nuked us into oblivion.”

“I’ve spent time among them, you haven’t.”

“I don’t have to, I studied them and tested them in battle. Take my word for it, if it was a choice between our extermination and their own they’d push the button that wiped us out in a second. That’s why this whole Minbari business is so fascinating, the Minbari are demanding humanity is exterminated and they have the power to do it. I want to see what humanity does when it is forced into a corner.”

“They’ll fight back even harder.”

“Yes, and when that doesn’t work they’ll carpet bomb Minbari colonies and break out bio weapons. They stole enough of my materials from Balos to wipe out every planet in the galaxy twice over.”

“I think you’re wrong.”

“And I think you are still a naïve optimist, that’s why I am against your decision.”

“I already have approval from the Council, when the devices are delivered I will go with them and supervise the tests.” Ari informed. “I’m the only one who can.”

“We can just give them written instructions, they don’t need a tutor.”

“But they do need to know they can trust us. If I go it is a sign of trust, proof we are not trying to trick them. If it was a trick why would I risk myself?”

“Because you are a naïve optimist, we’ve covered that.”

“Earth Force knows me, they’ll accept me.”

“That at least is true, they’ve approved your visa, the first one ever I might add.” Jha’dur sighed. “If you are determined to carry this task out you are free to do so, I can’t stop you.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me until you come home, I was concerned when Dal’shan chose to make this offer in person in the first place. He’s a lot smarter than you.”

Ari cracked a laugh. “Thanks!”

“You know what I mean.” She lifted an eyebrow and shook her head. “You people from the Shan family, you really need to learn the art of delegation. You don’t have to do every mission yourself, that’s why we have staff.”

“Sometimes you do.” He stated firmly.

“Just be careful, not all humans are like your fighter pilot drinking buddies from the war. Some of them hold grudges that would make me proud.”

“I’ll be fine, and maybe we can make a difference.” Ari suggested. “The Minbari are out of control.”

Jha’dur accepted that statement without argument.

“It is inelegant.” She assessed. “A world gone mad, driven by anger. Very distasteful, anger without focus is a waste, hatred without reason just forces mistakes. Take a look at our incredibly amusing Drazi neighbours. Making them angry and luring them into ambushes was tremendous entertainment, but after sixty times even I got bored. Thank the gods for Stro’kath beating some tactical sense into them.”

“Maybe the humans will do something similar.”

“I’ll be disappointed if they don’t.” Jha’dur nodded. “We’ll just have to see how the Minbari react. The anger will fade and with it so will their stupidity. Hatred, that’s the real test. If it goes too the Minbari will talk, if it doesn’t they’ll have the coolness to fight well and the drive to fight hard. Very, very dangerous mix.”

“I’ll see for myself.” Ari said.

“That is at least one positive, we’ve never seen the Minbari engage in a full scale battle before. I will be very interested to read your report.”

“I see things are progressing well here too.” Ari observed. “The new Alacan worker homes look nicer than I expected.”

“It seemed logical to move them closer to the site of their employment.” Jha'dur replied without much concern. “Most are happy in their old cities but as the economy shifts more toward services they'll want to be closer to the main Dilgar settlements.”

“Though not within them?”

“One step at a time.” The Warmaster cautioned. “I'm already wary of being this open handed with the Alacans, there is still a vast amount of resentment barely contained by the threat of extermination. It would be so easy just to rid ourselves of the problem, it only took my two days to tailor a human influenza virus to affect only Alacans.”

“We need the Alacans.” Ari spoke firmly. “Not only do they underpin a huge chunk of our economy but it would be a political disaster to wipe them out. We're trying to show the galaxy we've changed.”

“Nobody really changes Ari.”

“Then we're trying to show them we've purged the old culture. We're trying to be better.”

“True.” She looked away over the rolling meadows. “It still takes a little getting used to. My first response to any problem is how best to make it vanish permanently.”

“In the past perhaps there was a time for that, but not today.”

“You make me feel like a relic.” She smiled.

“No, just someone with a specific purpose, one that we may yet need again one day.”

“When did you get so wise?” She chuckled at the younger man.

“When I got married and started a family.” He impulsively grinned warmly at the thought. “Doing my bit for the future of the species. Something you might want to...”

“In my own time.” She cut him off with a look of faux outrage. “Your older brother and I are both busy people.”

“I'm planning at least four, enough to man an entire flight of Dart Fighters.”

“A formidable force it would be.” She acknowledged. “I sometimes miss it up there, but my chief of staff would chain me to the ground if I tried.”

“She's just concerned for your wellbeing, people do keep trying to kill you.”

“Can't imagine why.” Jha'dur innocently raised her eyebrows, a quizzical look that fooled nobody.

“How is Shai'jhur anyway?” Ari referred to Jha'dur's Chief of Staff, the officer who had been appointed by the Emperor personally to replace An'jash, the former confidant and loyal subordinate.

“Annoying.” The Warmaster frowned. “Your father inflicted her on me deliberately. I can only assume he felt a need for vengeance.”

“She's one of the few people who will tell you when you are wrong.”

“I'm never wrong.” Jha'dur countered quickly. “But admittedly she does on occasion think of slightly more efficient ideas than I do.”

“That's what's so annoying isn't it?” Ari laughed. “I saw those new posters going up, that's her work isn't it? Moving to integrate the Alacans more into society?”

“As we are both Felinid species the new truth is that the Alacans originated on Omelos and were likely transported here by an ancient race of alien trouble makers.” Jha'dur recited. “We have enough genetic markers in common that we have a shared origin, therefore we must welcome them as long lost cousins and form a true union.”

“How much of that is actually true?”

“None of it.” Jha'dur responded bluntly. “Though given a couple of generations and a few tweaks to the Alacan genome I can make it true. Probably my next big project.”

“You think slowly turning them into Dilgar is something they'd want?”

“Well yes, who wouldn't want to be Dilgar?” Jha'dur asked with genuine puzzlement. “Besides, better than the alternative.”

“She's the one who also recommended Alacan service in th emilitary didn't she?” Ari raised. “I heard you already had thousands of volunteers.”

“Most will be screened out, but yes. Again Shai'jhur has a point. I'd prefer vat grown Dilgar to fill out the ranks but that process has issues still. We need more bodies in uniform, the galaxy is still a dangerous place.”

“Where is she anyway?”

“Organising the formation of the Third Strike fleet, we have enough ships and crews now to expand the Navy a little more. If I'm lucky she'll be given command of it and I can go back to just having people agree with me out of terror.”

“You'd get bored within a week.” Ari smiled. “Besides you aren't nearly so scary as you used to be.”

“I'm just better at hiding it.” She answered softly. “I'm still the worst person you'll ever meet.”

“I don't believe you.”

“That's because you are hopelessly naïve. I am not a nice person Ari, never was, never will be.”

He rose from the chair and nodded.

“Anyway I better make a start, it’s a long way to Earth.”

“The Narn have granted us a secure shipping lane for a ridiculous fee.” Jha’dur sighed. “I’ll definitely be complaining about Narn extortion to someone.”

“I’ll be in touch Warmaster.”

“Don’t take risks.” She warned as he departed. “I still think of you as a younger brother, and it would end your father.”

“I understand.”

“Good fortune Ari, let me know how it goes.”

She gave it about an hour before returning inside, heading down the stairs and into the basement, the large expanse divided into several glass enclosed rooms. Very few knew of this place, even Ari didn’t, it was something of an echo of the scientific facilities she used to run. The laboratory was as neat and clinical as one would expect, well stocked with the finest machines and computers. While smaller than her old facilities it was vastly more efficient, her various associations granting her examples of technology nobody else outside a few select circles had access to.

“I can’t believe the Narn government.” She announced loudly, wrapping the medical robes over her uniform. “I understand they want to make money, especially as their expansion has come to a grinding halt, but really?”

She pulled on her synthetic gloves, entering the lab.

“I can understand how they might try this with some League diplomat, even a human.” She talked as she advanced around the table. “But they know who I am, they understand I don’t like people trying to take advantage of me.”

She picked up a gleaming metal saw.

“It makes me a little upset, then I have to go do something to help me relax.”

On the table in front of her a bound and gagged Narn watched her with enormously wide eyes, tracking the saw.

“I know you understand.”

“Some of us understand very well.” A male voice remarked from the edge of the room.

Jha’dur barely reacted, registering the cloaked figure standing half in shadow.

“I didn’t think you people cared for the grim details of what I do?”

“Not usually.” The robed figure answered. “We’re mainly interested in results, the methods don’t really matter.”

“The method always matters.”

“Very well, a question. You have laser scalpels, plasma cutters, monomolecular filament. This lab has the finest instruments money can buy, and plenty of devices money can’t. Yet you are going to open that things head with a hand saw?”

“I like to feel the resistance, the friction.” She said simply. “The other methods are too quick, done too soon. I like to take my time, watch their eyes, wait for that moment, that instant when they know you aren’t going to stop. That second when hope dies.”

She held the thought, relished it for a beautiful, blissful second, then tapped the recorder.

“Experiment N-417. Cranial extraction and examination of Narn telepathic capacity.”

She paused the recorder.

“Funniest thing is this is a commission. Oh I’d do it anyway, but I’m being paid by elements in the Narn Government to experiment on their own people to crack this telepath problem they have.” She grinned. “And I thought I was a bad person.”

“They are animals, they all are.” The figure dismissed. “Are you any closer to finishing your work?”

“Getting there.” She marked her victims brow with a pen, indicating the cut. “I remember our deal.”

“Good.”

The figure walked out of the shadows, removing his hood and peering at the Narn.

“How long do they take to die?”

“Watch and see.” She picked her saw back up. “Not too close, don’t want to ruin those expensive robes.”

She rested the blade on the Narn’s brow, drinking in the moment before she began, the terror. It was divine.

“So then Sineval, my old friend, tell me about this war of yours.”


	3. Chapter 3

3

Beta Durani

Earth Space

Beta Durani had always been busy, a great hub of motion sitting across a major jump route linking the central colonies of Earth space to the Eastern and Southern frontiers. It was from here that for more than a decade Explorer ships had pushed forth the borders, expanding the edges of human influence out beyond the rim of known space and into brave new worlds. Following those exploration missions were the colonists, the miners, the surveyors and exploiters All of them stopped at Beta Durani on the way out and Beta Colony was more than happy for them to hang around for a while and spend a little money.

During the golden age Beta Durani had expanded massively becoming one of the major centres of humanity, as Important as Orion or Delta colony and ranking behind only Mars and Proxima Centauri. Most of the expansion came from services supporting the missions to the rim, fuel stores, ship yards, various supplies and equipment plus all manner of hotels and corporate headquarters. Away from the gleaming city centres other industries were also burgeoning, casinos, brothels, smuggling and all types of organised crime. Beta Colony had always had a reputation as being a bit rough and seedy, the golden age only helped to cement it.

Never the less Beta colony had remained a keystone in the Earth Alliance, an important strategic location and as such well defended. A quartet or Orion class stations circled the planet, guarding the approaches to the world while at the heart of orbital control sat a tubular O’Neill type star base. At two miles long it was a smaller version of the massive base at Io guarding the gateway to Earth but still one of the largest structures in Alliance territory. It served as headquarters for Earth Force ships in this sector which meant that the coming war with the Minbari would be commanded from here.

“Busy.” Paul Calendar observed rather unnecessarily as the transport approached Beta Prime, the largest of the stations. Space around them was packed with ships, something that was no small achievement given the actual volume of airspace Beta Prime commanded. Most of the traffic appeared to be civilian, but behind the station were the unmistakeable grey blocks of Earth Force capital ships gathering in strength.

“At least three thousand ships.” Vic Chapel confirmed.

“Where are they coming from?” Jenny wondered. “Refugees from the front lines?”

“Some of them, but I think most fled last week.” Chapel answered. “These are the pioneers, prospectors, surveyors, all the guys out on the rim.”

“Trying to get back to the inner colonies before the war gets too hot.” Paul guessed. “I didn’t realise we had so many ships out there.”

“Lot more than this.” Chapel watched through the windows. “It’s been jammed up here for a week and there’s more coming through. We’ve made enough money off gate fees to buy a planet made entirely out of Quantium.”

Their transport made its way toward the station, the schedule bumped to give them priority clearance much to the anger of the waiting civilian traffic. Space traffic control was dealing with at least a dozen captains yelling at them as nerves began to get frayed.

“People seem in a rush to get out of here.”

Jenny nodded in agreement.

“Wouldn’t you?”

“They’ll have to wait their turn.” Chapel shrugged. “Most don’t have jump engines, they have to use the gate and the Navy has priority. We’re shipping in a lot of supplies and fuel for the Fourth fleet, making sure they can exploit any weak points after the counter offensive.”

“That must be the Fourth then.” Jenny glimpsed the distant warships. “Been a while since I’ve seen that many ships.”

“Six hundred.” Chapel informed. “Including eighty Dreadnoughts and two hundred cruisers.”

“Pretty top heavy for a task force.” Paul frowned. “Shouldn’t you have more escorts?”

“According to what little information we have nothing smaller than a heavy cruiser is worth a damn against the Minbari.” Chapel shrugged. “We’ve reinforced with as many heavy ships as we can to add some punch, even so the Admiralty is expecting half these ships to be shot down.”

“I thought we outnumbered the Minbari six to one?”

“We do.”

Paul could only shake his head. “They’re that tough?”

“That’s the estimate. We have no idea how large the Minbari fleet is or how much reach they have. If it’s anything like ours… well let’s just say we need to get them to open up talks before this turns into a serious fight.”

“Looking at all those ships out there I’d say this is already pretty damn serious.” Jenny remarked.

“The President is already preparing a recall order for recently retired personnel.” Chapel told them. “After that it’ll be veterans of the Dilgar war. Hell, there’s even talk of a full Alliance wide Conscription bill.”

“There hasn’t been a Draught since World War Three.”

“Like I said the President is starting to take this very seriously.”

The transport switched to auto pilot letting the station computers guide it through the rotating dock and into the layered bays within. The actual procedure was quicker than they had expected, the ship landing on one of the huge magnetically suspended elevators and shuffled into the complex structures within the station, slipping from the vacuum of the docking bay into the pressurized landing bays.

“This is our stop.” Chapel picked up his gear. “My people say everything is waiting for us, The Race got in two days ago.”

“Been at least two years since we last saw the guys.” Paul smiled widely.

“Seems like yesterday. Guess time flies huh?”

They opened the transport door and stepped down onto the station, the vast chamber of the landing bay ringing and clanging with machinery as forklifts and cranes shifted cargo pallets from location to location. A quick look down the length of the tubular bay showed how full it was with materials, most of it bearing official government seals.

They took a lift to the more inhabited parts of the station, the cramp corridors exhibiting the classic dull grey metal finish of a human built structure. Despite its size Beta Prime was still claustrophobic and unwelcoming suiting its main role as little more than a stop off point and springboard to the rim. Most people preferred the planet with its myriad of distractions to the bland metal pivoting above.

“So can you tell us the mission yet?” Paul asked.

“Couple more minutes.” Chapel replied plainly. “When we’re all together again.”

“Who’s on the team?”

“Beside your crew, two specialists. You’ll probably know the names.”

He stopped at a nondescript door and tapped the entry code revealing a small conference room, probably one of the smallest and most underwhelming any of them had seen. Around a virtually child sized table three familiar faces waited with a mix of happiness and relief that the whole crew was finally back together.

The first two were instantly familiar, the other half of the Space Race crew. Jors and Toby were an odd mix, one a massive Scandinavian with bright blond hair and a trim beard who might as well have just walked around with an axe and a helmet calling himself a Viking, and the other a short dark haired skittish fellow who constantly seemed nervously energetic. Despite appearances they worked extremely well together and had formed a strong bond of friendship over the years.

They welcomed each other warmly, Jors greeting his old friends with a trademark bone crushing bear hug, the power of which he remained blissfully unaware of. Toby was naturally more restrained but still clearly glad to have the team back together.

The other individual was a little more unexpected but no less welcome.

“Francis O’Leary.” Paul gave the man a hearty hug and slap on the back. “What happened to your face?”

“What?” Francis rubbed his stubbly chin. “It’s a beard.”

“Yeah, if you’re fourteen.” Paul grinned widely.

“Hey Francis.” Jenny embraced him. “How’s Heather and the kids?”

“Doing fine.” The Irish EIA analyst replied cheerfully. He had a long history with the crew of the Race having been through hell and high water together during the Dilgar war. He had started in the EIA just before the war, a wide eyed teenager fresh out of school making his first steps into a bigger and suddenly very dangerous world. He’d grown up a lot in that conflict, facing his fears and saving Paul Calendar's life in a cavern deep under Balos. While Jenny had retired from the Agency after the war Francis had stayed on, marrying fellow agent Heather Laney and starting a family in Geneva.

“Okay, I guess it’s time to make a start.” Chapel brought them to the point. “Hit it Franky.”

“Right.” Francis cleared his throat, his old fear of public speaking long since evaporated. “You guys know the drill, this is highly classified, prison, death of personality, blah, blah, blah.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Paul smiled. “Great to be appreciated. What do you need the Race for this time? Trip to Minbar?”

“Not yet anyway.” Francis grinned back. “Just a nice easy tech trial.”

“Okay, little unexpected.”

“As you’ve probably heard the Minbari are more advanced than us and that has the Navy very worried.” The Agent began. “The worst part of it is the Minbari use some sort of stealth technology, we can only hit them at point blank range.”

“And getting that close against such well armed enemy ships is going to be a nightmare.” Chapel chipped in. “That’s why we’re expected fifty percent casualties even with heavy numerical superiority.”

“We have absolutely no idea how their stealth works, if it is active, passive, pixie dust, nothing.” Francis explained. “Our job is going to be to find out.”

“So you’ll be on the ship with us?” Jenny asked.

“Yes.” He confirmed. “I’ll be running the new tech you’ll be taking with you.”

“Goody.” Jors rubbed his hands together. “Upgrades. I knew there was a reason I loved government jobs.”

“Not exactly.” Chapel mentioned. “You will be taking a new sensor system into action but it won’t be installed in your ship.”

“It’ll be in a modified cargo pod attached to the outside.” Francis said. “Separate to the Space Race’s existing systems so we can keep it isolated in case something goes wrong.”

“Goes wrong?” Toby narrowed his eyes. “Like what?”

“The sensor system is…well…” Francis cleared his throat. “A gift from the Dilgar Imperium.”

The room was quiet for a moment before Paul loudly clapped his hands together.

“Now I know why you picked us. We all just love the Dilgar.”

“More of a tech reason.” Francis offered. “We we’re going to use one of our warships but we would have needed to integrate the sensors into our command network. The Race has a much simpler control system, we can isolate it so if something goes wrong it doesn’t affect the Race. I’ll be there making sure the two systems don’t interact. If the Dilgar do have a hidden computer virus in there I’ll handle it.”

“Franky is our top man at Cyber warfare.” Chapel reminded. “If he can’t do it then it can’t be done.”

“If Francis says he can handle it that’s good enough for me.” Jenny nodded firmly.

“And if the wife has made up her mind I’m too smart to argue.” Paul chuckled. “So you want us to fly a recon? Test these sensors?”

“We don’t have time for a recon flight unfortunately.” Chapel said. “The Minbari are on the point of breaking out of the Cyrus system, we’ve already had Minbari scouts checking out Jericho.”

“Cyrus was just a small mining Colony wasn’t it?” Jors asked. “Jericho is much bigger, lot more people out there.”

“Which is why the attack is going in immediately.” Chapel nodded. “We can’t afford to let them hit Jericho in force. It’s going to cost us ships, but it’s better than watching them glass seventy thousand colonists.”

“Our job is to stand off away from the battle and monitor it, see if the sensors work and report back.” Francis said. “If they do work it will give our people a boost in combat, if not then we don’t lose anything.”

“Are we going to be buddied up with a scout cruiser?” Paul asked. “The Race doesn’t have its own jump drive, if we’re going to act separate from the fleet I’d prefer having our own way out.”

“We’ve got that covered.” Chapel informed. “Our people have built a self contained jump engine small enough to fit in a standard cargo pod. Same drive as used on a Hermes class transport.”

“That’s a pretty big step.” Jors sounded impressed.

“It’s a pretty expensive step.” Vic grunted. “Quantium 40 core, extra power systems, tachyon projectors, just don’t break it.”

“Break it?” Paul feigned shock. “Us?”

“Most of the time we send you on a job your ship comes home looking like it’s been chewed by a giant dog.”

“We’re victims of circumstance.” Paul defended.

“We’ve only got three of those things, so if it does get broken then you’ll be victims of my boot.”

“Also it has limits.” Francis chimed in. “The core requires huge amounts of power, that’s why small ships can’t use them. With the extra generators we can boost the core enough to make a jump, but you only have enough power for three or four jumps. So be careful.”

“Careful is our middle name.” Jors reassured. “That or ‘near death experience’, I forget.”

“In theory the Navy should be keeping the Minbari busy.” Francis said. “But if they don’t, well you guys are the most improbably lucky people in the universe so I’m sure you can find a way out of there.”

“All joking aside, if these sensors work it could help us a lot.” Chapel related. “Our ships were built with this sort of battle in mind, we designed them to be armoured enough to take hits and tough it out until they got close enough to hit back. But if we can avoid that, if we can fight a stand up battle and have the freedom to execute a battle plan more complicated then just yelling charge, then its going to save lives. This might be the most valuable job the EIA has done since cracking the Narn Conspiracy on Mars, that’s why it had to be you guys.”

“I have a question.” Toby raised his hand. “Aren’t we a man down?”

“Yeah, you did mention another specialist.” Jenny looked over to Chapel. “Who are we missing?”

“About that.” Chapel coughed. “You aren’t going to like it.”

“Nice set up Vic, very ominous.”

“Because these sensors are Dilgar they insisted on sending one of their people to oversee it’s use.” Chapel exhaled. “Another reason we didn’t want to do this on a warship.”

“You want us to let a Dilgar set foot on the Race? After what they tried to do to us?” Paul scoffed. “Come on Vic!”

“You’re getting plenty of compensation.”

“It isn’t the money, unbelievably this time it’s the principle!” Paul argued.

“They guessed this wasn’t going to be popular so sent their best man.” Chapel said. “Battlemaster Ari’shan.”

“That name mean something to anyone?” Paul asked.

“Dilgar ace of aces, youngest son of their Emperor.” Jenny recited. “They say he is a man of honour, chivalry even.”

“That’s him.” Francis nodded. “The man who killed David Sinclair.”

“That was him?” Paul gritted his teeth. “Sinclair was a friend, he saved our necks twice in the war. This guy is taking a space walk the second we hit hyperspace.”

“No he isn’t.” Chapel laid down firmly. “Because if he does we’ve got a two front war on our hands which we do not need. Be professional, suck it up and deal with it. Crap is getting real out there gentlemen so we will tolerate his presence.”

Paul elected to sulk in response.

“We need to get going, the Race should be all set by now.” Francis said. “And our advisor is waiting.”

The trip across to the Space Race was uneventful, Chapel’s transport once again enjoying priority clearance much to the unrestrained fury of the civilian traffic, many of whom had been waiting for days in the schedule. With a quick loop over the station they found their target, the small but distinctive silhouette of the SS Space Race. On the surface she was unremarkable, a modified light freighter built to a fairly old design that was uncommon but not unique. It wasn’t until one delved a little deeper that her alterations became clear, the uprated engines, larger sensor grid and interceptor cannons which were all but unheard of on civilian vessels.

The Race had forged a successful career piloting the riskier routes even before her upgrades during the Dilgar war, dodging Raiders and warzones to deliver small amounts of valuable cargo or passengers to their destinations. As a small ship she was never going to make money shifting bulk goods, speed was her selling point.

The transport put down in the shuttle bay at the front of the ship under the flight deck, barely fitting in the confined space. They waited for the bay to seal itself and pressurise before stepping off and entering the main body of the ship itself. Like the vast majority of human ships the Race had no gravity, being too small for a rotating section and unable to steal an artificial gravity unit despite their best efforts. Moving in zero gravity was an art form, something the old crew had perfected a long time ago. Only Francis had trouble.

They were welcomed by a team of Earth Force technicians, the senior officer greeting Chapel almost as soon as he made it through the door.

“Director, we’re ready to go.”

“Good to hear lieutenant.” Chapel approved. “Both the sensor pod and the jump pod are installed?”

“All set.”

“And the advisor?”

“Amidships in the cargo bay, under guard.”

“Very good.” Chapel acknowledged. “Load up on the transport, I’ll finish up here and join you for the trip home.”

“Yes sir.”

The technicians began to depart as Chapel led the group deeper into the ship seeking their unwanted new crew member.

“We should have brought a litter tray.” Paul said snidely.

“Just try to be on your best behaviour.” Chapel advised. “It’s only for a few days.”

“Why did they have to send him?”

“Because he’s the only Dilgar who can give his oath and expect us to believe him.” Francis said in response. “It’s a trust issue, Ari isn’t going to want to ruin that by telling lies to us.”

“Ari?” Jenny raised an eyebrow. “You’re on first name terms now?”

“I’ve worked with him before.” Francis admitted. “It’s the other reason I’m on this mission. I know him, if he says he’s genuinely here to help then he is.”

“He killed hundreds of our people Francis.” Paul snarled. “He nuked the Wiszna!”

“And we killed millions of his people, including his brother. Its war, he understands that, we need to understand it too.”

“Whoa, wait a second.” Paul glared. “Did you just take his side?”

“The war is over Paul, we’ve got another one to worry about today, one he’s going to help us with.”

“Is it over for the Alacans?” Paul asked. “The Tirrithans? We got forced down on Tirrith, we saw what they did. But hey, that’s all water under the bridge because they have something we want?”

“Actually yeah.” Chapel cut in sharply. “That’s exactly how its going to work. So you go in there, you smile and you play nice and I don’t give a damn if you hate every second of it. If this is going to save lives then you deal with it. Clear?”

“Yeah, actually that cleared up a lot of things.” Paul said harshly. “This is why we moved to Alaska.”

They opened the door to the cargo bay finding three people inside, two were EIA agents, the other was a Dilgar male in standard battle dress, a plain dark blue flight suit with subdued insignia and badges of rank.

“Ari.” Francis greeted, floating awkwardly across until he grabbed a rail on the wall to slow himself. “How was the installation?”

“Very simple.” He said. “I’ve linked the sensor suite into your computers via the portable server you brought.”

“Good, by putting an extra layer between the sensors and the Race’s computers it lets me monitor the traffic for irregularities.” Francis explained to the crew. “I’ll be down here with Ari keeping an eye on things during the mission.”

The Dilgar officer stood and formally inclined his head to the new arrivals.

“Battlemaster Ari’shan of the Imperium. It is my honour to serve beside you.”

“Sure it is.” Jors dismissed, turning away. “I’ll be on the flight deck running pre flight checks.”

“Me too.” Toby joined him.

The atmosphere was incredibly tense, each of them waiting for the other to say something. It fell to Paul to bite his lip and take a lead.

“Welcome aboard.” He managed, ignoring the bile in his throat. “Hope you like the wallpaper.”

“It is interesting to be on this ship.” Ari spoke conversationally, the tension apparently broken. “We tracked it a few times, my brother nearly boarded you at the Comac nebula before your fleet forced him to retreat.”

“We almost had him too.” Francis recalled. “He was very lucky to escape.”

“Well on that note I’ll leave you guys to catch up.” Chapel grinned. “You’ve got priority clearance, the fleet jumps in six hours, I’d recommend going with them.”

“I’d just like to say again, thanks for bringing me in on this mission.” Paul said through clenched teeth. “Really, I don’t know how I can pay you back.”

“I’m sure you can think of something.” He smiled indulgently and patted Paul on the back. “Jen, got a minute?”

He pushed himself out of the cargo bay, Jenny joining him as they sailed through zero gravity back towards the shuttle bay.

“Ari’shan huh?” She observed with interest. “Bit of a celebrity.”

“Yeah, he’s taking a risk being here. Lot of people feel like Paul.”

“Paul’s an idealist, he still has some moral values, right and wrong, that sort of thing. He isn’t as practical as people like us.”

“Not a bad thing.” Chapel lingered on the thought before moving on. “Still, he’s the son of the Emperor and the closest thing the Dilgar have to a hero.” He looked over at the former agent. “Think he’s going to be travelling alone?”

“Not a chance.” She have smiled. “I was wondering why I was on this mission.”

“Our scans didn’t pick anything up, neither did the sniffer dogs, but they might have found a way past them.” Chapel cautioned. “His father invented the Spectres, his best buddy Jha’dur refined them into the friendly invisible assassins we’ve come to know and love. Even if he didn’t want one as a body guard chances are the Warmaster Council sent one anyway.”

“What happens if I find one?”

“I’ll leave that to your discretion.” Chapel said. “If it’s just a bodyguard, might not be a big deal, but if this is some sort of elaborate trap for us… well, you’ve handled Spectres before, you’re our top scoring solution to that particular problem.”

“Understood.”

“You armed?”

“Always.”

“Then I won’t lecture you on what you already know.” They reached the bay and stopped. “I can reactivate your commission Jen, bring you back into the firm?”

“Not today Vic. Ask me again if this all goes to hell.”

“In that case I hope its not a question I’ll have to ask.” He nodded. “Good luck out here, and remember Durban’s three rules of a good field agent.”

“Be courteous, be efficient, and have a plan to kill everyone you meet.” Jenny recited with a smile.

“Watch your back.” Chapel floated through the door. “Not just with the Dilgar, this battle is going to be a bloodbath, don’t get caught in it.”

“Just check on the kids for me, especially Kasumi.”

“Got it.” Chapel affirmed. “Try not to die.”

“Absolutely the last thing I plan to do.”

Six hours later

EAS Garuda

Flagship, EA Fourth Fleet.

“Do we have those final reports?” Admiral Anne Thornhill asked curtly, at this point she was in no mood for further delays.

“Third cruiser squadron still reports they haven’t been refuelled.” Her XO, Commander Josh Martin shook his head. “They’re at sixty percent capacity.”

“It’s going to have to be enough, we can’t delay any longer.” She ruled. “They can join us for the fight.”

“They won’t have enough fuel to chase down any fleeing Minbari after the battle Ma’am.”

“We can assign them to guard Cyrus from any raids after we free it.” Thornhill decreed. “The refuelling ships will just have to catch us up there.”

“Yes Ma’am.” Martin filled out the order and sent it. “In that case all units are ready to depart.”

“Alright Commander, initiate jump by division. Best speed for Cyrus.”

A full fleet jump was a spectacular display, the manoeuvring of so many ships in formation, the deployment of such a vast amount of forged metal and trained crews a source of fascination and wonder to most people. This case was no different, the civilian chatter dimming briefly as the fleet began to move, leaving the proximity of Beta prime and powering up for hyperspace transition. Of course in this instance there was more depth than just an exercise, a test and demonstration of power. This time it was for a real and there were few among the assorted ships that did not feel a wave of pride as the fleet made its move.

Earth Force had forged itself an enviable reputation as the premier combat force in the galaxy, with the skill of the Centauri Royal Navy, the determination of the Narn and the cold execution of the Dilgar fleet. In the last decade or so Earth had even managed to close the tech gap somewhat with its rivals, with weapons, propulsion and sensor systems benefiting from the haul of parts left behind on a dozen battlefields. It was generally accepted that Earth Force could defeat any power beside the Centauri, and even then many believed it would be a very close thing.

Hundreds of jump points sparkled in the sky, golden energy cascading from the dimensional pools as the fleet engaged their drives, piercing reality and creating a road to the tumult of hyperspace beyond. Behind them the massed ships around Beta Durani offered messages of support and fortune, giving their blessings and hopes of a speedy victory to the heavily armed battleships of humanity. It was a heart soaring sight, the largest deployment of ships in a decade, a concentration of force nothing was going to be able to stand against.

Against such a violent looking assortment of ships what chance did the curved and gaudy Minbari ships have? They had crossed the border and spilled human blood, and now they would understand the price that brought. As the massive fleet made its jump there wasn’t one soul over Beta colony that did not know exactly how this was going to end.

The journey to Cyrus took less than a day, even for the slow moving Earth Force warships. Thornhill made sure they were travelling at the pace of the slowest ships guaranteeing they all jumped together for maximum impact. Fortunately the well plotted jump route aided her in this task, with only the gravitic disturbance of the Cygnus Singularity causing reason to pause. There was no sign of the Minbari, no scouts or probes, nothing to suggest their approach would be noted. They all wished for the element of surprise but did not rely on it.

Thornhill was a skilled officer, an Admiral who had worked her way up and earned her rank the hard way. She’d seen action in dozens of border skirmishes before the crucible of the Dilgar war, leading a cruiser squadron with her flag aboard the by now elderly EAS Lexington. Her record was successful enough to give her command of the EA Fourth Fleet covering the rimward edge of Earth’s expansion, probably the riskiest assignment in the navy. If there was an unexpected danger or an unknown enemy, then it was probably going to be found out here and it was the Fourth that would act as the front line of defence. Consequently the fleet was well equipped with modernised warships and veteran crews, one of the finest fighting formations humanity had to offer.

The Joint Chiefs had confidence in Thornhill and her people, if there was one fleet in the Alliance that could handle a superior foe it was Thornhill’s. While Earth’s main test had been against the Dilgar who had been largely equal in terms of technology Earth Force had been built to fight superior opponents using efficient designs and raw brute force to overcome technology. Before today humanity had never needed to test the theory on a grand scale making the coming battle one that could expect extensive study. Yet even with all that training, skill, experience and the latest weapons what little the senior staff had seen of the Minbari so far had made them very worried. The Fourth could handle it, but it wasn’t going to be pretty.

Thornhill was acutely aware of this, her immediate superior Admiral Ferguson had warned her before hand to expect a hard fight and not to rely on the tactics that worked against the Dilgar.

“Admiral, we just crossed the outer beacon.” Commander Martin reported. “Approaching Cyrus Colony.”

“Are all ships in jump formation?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

She forced herself to keep calm and steady, to set the example in the face of uncertainty.

“Initiate jump, defensive posture.”

“Initiate jump, yes Ma’am.” Martin echoed, giving the word. “Fleet responding, all ships forming jump points.”

“Navigation locking position, opening jump point.”

“Helm reports all systems green, moving into normal space.”

The jump was textbook, each division and squadron jumping one after the other in waves above and behind the preceding force. EA Jump engines were still considered fairly inaccurate, there was no guarantee a ship would emerge within a couple of dozen miles of where it actually wanted to meaning that for safety’s sake the ships had to jump in very loose formations. As soon as they arrived their first task was to abandon jump formation and form up for battle, which in this case involved lining up to maximise firepower.

It wasn’t their usual formation, as a rule Thornhill preferred to fight in mixed task forces deployed loosely at a distance from one another, each unit fighting as an independent force. It gave them more flexibility, something her well trained officers were experts at exploiting. Human task forces had proven the antithesis of the previously unstoppable Dilgar Pentacan formations, the hard hitting Dilgar finding their match in human versatility. But not today, instead Thornhill was going to take the Minbari head on fleet to fleet and for that she had to maximise her strength. Her dreadnoughts and cruisers formed up in six waves, long lines of grey metal with the escorts deployed on the edges and her carriers to the rear.

There would be no creativity or flexibility today, no tactical dancing or strategic games, it was a pure brawl. Get in close and smother the enemy with gunfire, negate finesse with the massive application of brute force. Her Hyperion cruisers were good at this, but her Nova Dreadnoughts excelled in a brutal gunnery duel. This was exactly their kind of fight, and her entire strategy was based on getting those ships into action as quickly as possible.

“Jump complete, all units are answering ready.”

“Very good.” Thornhill acknowledged. “Where are the Minbari?”

“We’re getting readings ahead, tachyon scans are inconclusive.”

“That’s got to be them.” She studied the tactical map, the large screen showing the relative positions of her forces, the Minbari and the planet. “Try the other systems.”

“Nothing clear on Lidar or radar. Microwave scans inconclusive. Visual seems our best return.”

“Guess that means we’ll be sighting down the gun barrels.” She grimaced.

“They do appear to be moving, telescopes suggest approximately one hundred vessels.”

“Naval intelligence got it right for once.”

“First time for everything Admiral.” Martin remarked.

“It’ll be going at the top of my report, written in red ink and heavily underlined.” Thornhill smiled a little. “Alright, let’s do this properly. Open a channel.”

“Yes Ma’am, broadcasting on wide band.”

“Minbari Vessels this is the Earth Alliance Dreadnought Garuda. You are in violation of Earth Alliance territory and are engaged in hostile action against Earth Alliance citizens. You are ordered to immediately leave Earth space and return to your borders. I am authorised by my President to offer the opportunity for a cease fire and negotiations to address any grievances you may have regarding initial contact between our nations.”

She paused, looking over to her XO in case the Minbari responded. He shook his head.

“If you do not accept a cease fire and do not withdraw,” she continued, “I am also authorised to employ deadly force to remove you from this star system. My government does not want a war, but if you do not withdraw your forces we will have no option but to open fire. We await your response.”

“Nothing.” Martin stated. “But I’m pretty sure they heard us, they’ve altered position and are deploying to attack.”

“Well at least we’re getting a welcome.” She said, looking at the estimated enemy positions. “Any transmissions from the colony?”

“No Ma’am, I’m detecting wreckage in orbit from the station and defence grid, and a cluster near lunar orbit, probably the initial response fleet.”

“They don’t seem too fazed by us.” Thornhill observed. “They’re heavily outgunned.”

“Our briefings said they were a warrior culture Admiral.” Martin offered a thought. “Maybe they can’t back off from a fight no matter the odds?”

“Maybe.” She accepted the theory. “Saves us hunting them down, I think we’re all wanting a little payback after what they did to the local forces.”

“Looks like we’ll get our chance, they appear to be accelerating towards us.”

“Then that answers the question.” The Admiral resolved. “Fleet status?”

“Formed and ready.”

“All ahead full, no need to take this steady. Close the range and prepare for maximum salvo fire.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Launch fighters, take the safeties off the nukes and get ready to swamp them with everything we’ve got. I want one high speed pass through their lines laying down all the hurt we can.”

“Course is set.”

“Make it happen Commander, all ships prepare to fire on my command.”

On the far flank of the battle the Space Race hung silently away from anything of significance. As the battlefleets charged forward and the heavy warships on both sides prepared to get to grips with one another the modified freighter appeared entirely insignificant, it’s true role unknown even to Admiral Thornhill.

“We’re in position boss.” Jors radioed in from the flight deck. “Looks like kick off.”

In the dim cargo bay Ari began to power up the sensor system, unfamiliar Dilgar script scrolling across the bank of computers through a net of cables.

“What does all that mean?” Paul frowned, determined to be present in case something went wrong. He had not too subtly stuffed a mallet in his belt which he was more than ready to use on the cluster of computers.

“Just status readings, all normal.” Francis answered.

“You read Dilgar?”

“Like a native.” He confirmed.

“This would be faster on a ship with an integrated sensor array.” Ari informed, his own English impeccable. “But it should be firing up any minute.”

“Toby.” Jenny clicked the intercom. “We still have EIA sensors on this thing? As good as a military frigate?”

“Little old but yeah, military grade.” He answered.

“What can you see with them?”

“I can see our ships fine, but I’m getting conflicting readings on the Minbari.” He reported. “Results are jumping everywhere, I’d say it was a form of active jamming but I can’t isolate it.”

“Anything you can do to clear it up?”

“Nothing, I’m running the search bands and it isn’t making a difference. All I have is visual and at this range I can’t make much out.”

“Copy that, keep us informed.” She turned off the channel. “That’s our benchmark.”

“Let’s see if we can do a bit better down here.” Francis enthused. “Bringing sensors online.”

With a hum the system engaged, the screens flickering as the text was replaced by images, tactical details overlaid with a map of local space.

“Now that is interesting.”

“Admiral, we are well within range, sensors show no improvement.” Commander Martin reported with obvious anger. “We have no targeting information, I can’t get an exact range or weapons lock.”

“What about the Elint ships?”

As part of the fleet Thornhill had a handful of specialised Oracle class electronic warfare ships. Acting as mobile SWAC posts they boasted formidably powerful sensor arrays and counter jamming technologies specifically designed to defeat this kind of situation.

“No results, they can’t break through either.” Martin reported. “Ma’am, our first wave is within optimum range.”

“What about the Minbari?”

“I’m reading active sensors but I can’t determine if they are preparing to fire. Admiral, they could hit us at any second.”

“We need to land the first strike.” She exhaled, looking at the map. “We’re well within range, order the first wave to fire at will.”

“Yes Ma’am.” He opened the channel. “First division, all ships, fire at will, I repeat, open fire!”

Without conclusive targeting information and with sensor readings wildly fluctuating the lead ships had to make do with what they had. Most used visual data to triangulate a target, adjust for estimated velocity and range, and feed that data to the guns. It wasn’t perfect as even at close range it would take a few seconds for the charged particles of the pulse cannons to arrive, enough time for a ship to radically change course to avoid the strike. Most officers elected to lead with laser fire, using the near instantaneous travel time to pinpoint a target and then follow up with a full barrage of pulse fire.

Over a hundred ships made their move, a sudden wave of bright light linking the two opposing formations, bright red beams from the flank turrets of the Hyperions and the bow turrets of the Novas. The vast majority missed at first, even with complex calculations the Minbari appeared elusive, ethereal as if they weren’t really there. The curved ships had a ghostly sheen to them, bending the light around their gleaming hulls, rich purple patterns ingrained in the blue hulls unique to each vessel.

The Minbari allowed Earth Force to take the first shot, taking the measure of their opponents. It was a gamble, if they had been wrong that initial salvo from so many ships could have crippled them, broken their fleet before it could respond, but it did not. As predicted most of the shots missed and those that didn’t barely scored the surface. Laser weaponry was virtually useless against armour built to refract energy and sustain attacks by far older opponents than humanity, the Minbari fleet remained unharmed and emboldened by the poor showing.

Before Earth could follow up with the more powerful pulse weapons their ships were armed with the Minbari moved on to part two of the experiment, determining how resilient these unlovely looking ships were.

Green lances of light pierced space, much brighter and more energetic than the human weapons. While almost every human weapon missed not a single Minbari beam went astray, the Earth Force ECM systems wholly inadequate to the task. During the Dilgar war Earth ships had become almost legendary for their protection, able to take massive volleys from enemy ships and some how keep moving and fighting. Some ships made it home with a third of their mass missing, others were found completely destroyed but yet somehow having survivors within them. The Minbari weapons went clean through those same designs with negligible resistance.

The Hyperions had no chance, the neutron cannons simply coring through them from bow to stern, in one side and out the other. Most just exploded, their reactors cracked open and released with uncontrolled fury. Ship after ship was consumed, lost in fire to the Minbari fleet. The Dreadnoughts did better, their greater mass and thicker armour meant they were not simply opened up like a tin can. It took three or four more hits to end a Nova, the blocky warships fighting back against the assault, struggling to stay alive. It didn’t really matter, instead of taking two seconds to die it took four, the Minbari assimilating the information and setting their fire control systems to put multiple beams on the tougher human ships.

The first wave survived six seconds.

“Admiral…” Martin tried to speak past the lump in his throat. “Divisions one through three are gone.”

“Are the sensors right?” Thornhill demanded. “This isn’t false information from the Minbari?”

“Negative Admiral, readings confirmed. The whole first wave was just wiped out.”

She swallowed down her fear, enforced her calm despite what her mind was telling her. No power in the galaxy could do that, there wasn’t a ship in existence that could deliver so much power in a single weapon., nothing even close. If the Minbari had that power attrition wasn’t going to work.

“Increase speed to flank, redline the engines.”

“Yes Admiral.”

“Release fighters, tell them to just get as close as they can and fire on enemy sensor arrays, try to kill their jammers.”

“Enemy firing!”

The tactical display showed another swath of her force go suddenly dark in the space of a few seconds.

“Third and fourth cruiser squadrons just went down!”

“Dammit!” Thornhill snapped. “Get us right up alongside the enemy! All batteries fire at will!”

The Dreadnought shook as it accelerated, joined by its sisters. The formations began to merge into each other, the different waves coalescing as the Admiral took them off the leash. Fighters raced forwards, most of them the latest Aurora class Starfuries equipped with superior engines and weapons than their older counterparts in the Dilgar war. Squadron after squadron raced forward, but the Minbari had predicted this.

Without mercy the Starfuries were jumped by Nial fighters, the heavy Minbari craft equipped with the same type of jammers as their fleet counterparts. It rapidly descended into a massacre, the celebrated agility of the human fighters offering no protection from the speed and stealth of their enemies. As with the warships the sturdy construction of the Starfuries offered only marginal protection against the raw power of the Minbari weapons, the battle as one sided as the naval duel unfolding beside them.

“What just happened?” Paul looked intently at the sensor screen. “Where did all our ships go?”

“I’m afraid your initial attack has been destroyed.” Ari exhaled. “This is what I feared.”

“We knew our defence fleets fell almost immediately, but we assumed they were surprised and overwhelmed.” Jenny gasped. “We had no idea they could do this, it’s a slaughter!”

“A lone Minbari ship destroyed three Pentacans during our initial contact.” Ari shared grimly. “Veteran Pentacans, Jha’dur’s escort. We never knew if it was an elite ship or if all Minbari were that powerful.”

“Now you have an answer.” Francis spoke flatly.

“The Admiral is ordering a general advance.” Jenny observed. “Throwing every ship into the fray, even the reserves.”

“What are those ships?” Ari highlighted a group at the rear of the EA lines. “I haven’t seen those before.”

“Prototype Destroyers.” Jenny answered. “Long range ships, I can’t talk about it.”

“I hope they do better than your older ships.”

“Do you?” Paul challenged. “Do you really?”

“I do Captain Calendar.” Ari kept his voice calm. “I don’t enjoy seeing this, I always believed our two races shared a sort of kinship, that when we were both at our best we had much in common.”

Paul bit back his initial answer.

“The only thing we have in common is that we both quite like cats.”

“The Minbari attacked us at our weakest without declaration or warning. It was the height of dishonour.” Ari spoke with distaste. “Many in our race hate them, far more than hate you.”

“That makes me feel all warm inside.”

“Ladies.” Jenny interrupted and pointed to the scanners. “Can we get to the point?”

“Yes, of course.” Ari settled down. “I’m going to change the mode on the array. Up until now it has been running on its basic components, not much different to the sensors we used in the war.”

“What’s the difference?” Francis asked with genuine interest.

“We tested a few new systems in the war, most of them on the Sekhmet class advanced cruisers, if you remember them.”

“I remember we killed most of them.” Paul returned.

“One was a new type of sensor.” Ari ignored the Jibe. “It was recovered technology so I don’t know exactly how it works, something to do with crystalline technology, more advanced than anything in the League.”

“Wait, this isn’t recovered from the League?” Jenny cut in.

“No, it came from a dead world, the location is highly classified, even I don’t know it.” Ari admitted to them. “What matters is that while our regular ships couldn’t target the Minbari, our last two Sekhmet class ships could. That’s how we turned them back, forced them to withdraw with heavy damage.”

“Better see if it works then.” Francis suggested. “While we still have something to scan for.”

“The system is ready.” Ari reported. “Beginning sweep.”

They all hovered over the screens, waiting as the system cycled.

“It would be faster on a warship.” Ari apologised.

“I’m not seeing any abnormalities in the software.” Francis monitored. “Looks clean.”

“And take a look at that.” Jenny pointed to the screen. “That looks a hell of a lot like a Minbari fleet.”

“Well holy crap.” Paul shook his head. “Did a Dilgar just do something useful?”

Ari raised an eyebrow and a faint smile. “You’re welcome.”

“What happened to our carriers?” Thornhill demanded.

“Not responding, we have no ships to our rear!” Martin answered. “They must have been hit by enemy light warships!”

Thornhill swore heavily. “Escorting units?”

“Gone, our flanks are not secure!” Her XO warned. “Enemy forces predicted to be on all sides and to our rear!”

“So why aren’t they closing? Why aren’t they finishing us?”

“At a guess Admiral? I’d say they’re leaving us for the big fish.”

She rubbed sweat from her brow, no longer feeling a need to hide her stress. By now the situation was blatantly obvious.

“Bombers?”

“Gone, enemy fighters also have stealth systems. No known survivors.”

“We can’t win this, if we stay we’re all dead.” She growled. “Son of a bitch! Jump prep! Power up the engines and prepare to get the hell out of here!”

“Powering up, Admiral enemy forces increasing speed, they probably detected that.” Martin warned. “Picking up very intense scans.”

“That’s what shut down Jankowski’s jump drives.” She inhaled. “What about it? Is the extra shielding working?”

“Affirmitive, we’re still building power!” He related.

“Fleet command, this is sixth division, we’ve got your back.”

Sixth division was Thornhills reserve, a heavy warship group including her handful of advanced Destroyers.

“Negative Six, begin jump!”

“They’ll be on you before you can jump, we’ll take this.” The group commander replied firmly. “Good luck.”

“Sixth division advancing on the enemy.” Martin reported. “They’re engaging.”

The fleet was firing with all it had, while the bulk of the survivors tried to turn away the Sixth pressed on into the teeth of the Minbari. It was suicide and they knew it, positioning themselves in such a way to maintain their best ships for the longest. The advanced ships came along behind the main force, their rotating hulls and miniaturised weapons distinctive when compared to the older ships. They were Earth’s answer to the Dilgar Sekhmet series, long ranged, fast and very heavily armoured. They were simply the best ships in Earth Force, and they lasted barely a second longer than their sisters.

“Sixth Division is overrun!” The XO shouted. “Minbari firing again!”

Several ships near the Garuda exploded as they powered up, their explosions particularly violent as the energised Quantium in their jump drives detonated ferociously.

“Jump engines ready!”

“Get us out of here, all ships commence…!”

The Garuda ceased to exist, not simply sliced to pieces by neutron cannons like her sisters but immolated from stem to stern by something even worse. The Minbari switched from the long range scalpel to the short ranged hammer, the apocalyptic anti matter converters the Minbari capital ships carried at the base of their upper fins. Rarely used as there was usually simply no need the cannons fired a beam which transformed whatever they touched into anti matter, which then reacted violently with the unconverted matter around it.

The results were staggeringly violent, the last of the EA ships vanished in a shower of light and radiation, immense explosions grander than any nuclear warhead reducing the great ships to little more than fragments. It was at least a swift end for Admiral Thornhill and her crew, her ship scattered to the eternal dark.

With the battle done the Minbari turned on those few ships that had not been instantly destroyed during the engagement, ignoring the surrender messages and coldly slicing apart any hull section that still had life support. Two corvettes and a few dozen Starfuries assigned to protect the gate managed to escape before the Minbari reached them, but of the main force nothing would return to Beta Durani and the welcome that was being prepared.

“Dammit Toby try again!” Paul yelled down the intercom. “We can see the Minbari! We need to get these coordinates to the fleet.”

“I’m telling you I can’t raise them!”

“Well why not! These readings are critical!”

“Because there is no one left to contact.” Ari said quietly. “I’m sorry Captain, your fleet is lost.”

“There were six hundred ships out there, where are the other waves?”

“He’s right.” Francis echoed. “They’re gone.”

“We’ve only been here ten minutes!”

“Seven.” Francis corrected. “Seven minutes to kill six hundred ships.”

“And we didn’t nail even one of theirs.” Jenny said emptily. “This was, it was just… we need to get out of here right now.”

“She’s right.” Francis agreed. “With what we’ve learned we can stop this happening again, we we’re blind out there.”

“I mean it.” She pointed at the screen. “Minbari fighters inbound.”

“Point.” Paul turned back to the Radio. “Jors, get us out of here fast.”

“Making the jump.”

“I can’t believe that just happened.” Paul turned back to the others. “How the hell do we fight back against that?”

“I don’t know.” Francis replied, resting his hand on the sensor displays. “But I think it’s going to start right here.”


	4. Chapter 4

4

Geneva

“Now we know what we face.”

It was a simple enough statement and of course entirely true. In the days since the battle of Cyrus Earth had been trying to build a picture, the lack of communication and scattered reports had obscured what had actually happened. The hyperspace sensor net, tied into the beacon system, had seen the fleet go in and had detected a small number of ships leave shortly after, but there had been no communication with the system itself. It wasn’t until the Space Race and the small group of survivors from the periphery of the battle had made it back to Beta Durani that a full report had been compiled.

“I want straight answers.” President Levy spoke flatly, emptily, the tone of a person who had just been told they had a terminal illness. “No euphemisms, no sugar coating. What are we going to do?”

“Simply Madam President, we are even more outmatched militarily than expected.” General Dayan spoke, his own voice far less assured than normal. “Admiral Ferguson and General Denisov have recommended our forces deny battle to the Minbari fleet until we can develop a countermeasure. We should only engage in the most favourable or most desperate of circumstances.”

“Our defences and tactics were completely inadequate.” Director Chapel added. “Engaging the Minbari fleet head on is not survivable, not in our current condition.”

“Did Admiral Thornhill do any damage to the Minbari at all?”

“None.” Dayan shook his head. “We believe the Minbari schedule is uninterrupted, they will break out any day now. We believe they will make Beta Durani their main objective with Jericho colony a secondary target.”

The President rubbed her brow, forcing the painful information to settle in her mind.

“Can we evacuate?”

“We’ve already started, but we don’t have the time or capacity to evacuate the entire Colony, especially Durani.” Secretary Santiago informed. “We’re getting the women and children out, we’re also asking for volunteers to join the planetary militia.”

“Beta colony is heavily defended, it has a powerful defence grid and plenty of stations.” Dayan said. “It was built to hold off a fleet, but after what we’ve seen of the Minbari, I don’t think it’ll slow them down.”

“Have the Minbari answered our transmissions?”

“No Madam President.” David Sheridan reported. “And after the scale of their victory at Cyrus I don’t think they’ve got much incentive to do so.”

“Then we only have one choice, we must fight.” Levy resolved reluctantly. “How? How can we hit back?”

“General Denisov is already putting together wolf packs to raid Minbari supply lines.” Dayan informed. “If we can’t beat their ships maybe we can render them ineffective by cutting off their fuel supply. Captain William Hague of the Endymion will be taking the first raid out when he assembles a team. He’s a bright officer, we’re confident in his success.”

“We do know from our analysis of the battles so far that our ships are not entirely ineffective.” Chapel raised. “When we manage to land a hit we do inflict damage. It appears Minbari armour is tough stuff but we do have the firepower to bring them down. It’s just a case of making the shots connect.”

“A Nova class Dreadnought does appear to have superior firepower to a Minbari capital ship, it just can’t survive long enough to shoot back effectively.” Dayan exhaled. “The stealth issue.”

“I understand our ships could not get a solid lock on the Minbari to shoot back?” Levy asked.

“Correct Madam President, all of our sensors were spoofed, our traditional homing weapons were burnt out or shot down and attempts to employ countermeasures were either unsuccessful or took too long.” The General informed. “Once they entered range our ships lasted literally seconds, not long enough for them to effectively analyse relevant information.”

“What about the Dilgar sensors?”

“Hard as this may be to believe, that is our only bit of good news in all this.” Chapel commented. “They worked exactly as advertised. We were able to identify, track and if we’d have had weapons lock on to Minbari vessels. Whatever they used to beat our sensors, they didn’t beat the Dilgar.”

“I find that difficult to understand.” Santiago frowned. “All our information says League sensors were just as useless, we improved our own technology based on recovered vessels during the war. The Dilgar did the same thing, their base technology is League tech, so how did they manage this?”

“They say it was recovered technology from a dead world, ancient tech.” Chapel explained. “They didn’t go into details.”

“Not impossible.” Dayan remarked. “Our own interceptor technology has similar origins.”

“They’ve offered us a hundred sets available immediately.” Sheridan picked up. “All ready to install.”

“I can accept they work, but are they safe to use?” Levy asked. “This could still be a trap.”

“My expert says yes.” Chapel answered. “He’s already designed a safety switch, a small box that we will set up between the sensor array and our main ship systems, if it detects anything abnormal it’ll automatically pull the plug.”

“We also believe we can duplicate the technology and mass produce our own versions.” Dayan added. “According to Chief engineer Wallis at the Skunkworks it’s a new type of synthetic crystal, very complicated structure but something our existing infrastructure can recreate.”

“Pretty handy.” Santiago expressed with reserve.

“He says its very user friendly. The science behind it is incredibly complicated, but actually recreating them and using them couldn’t be easier.”

“Which probably explains how the Dilgar jumped ahead so fast.” Chapel pointed out. “I’d put a years pay on the Dilgar recovering more than sensors from wherever they raided. The sort of thing IPX keeps praying for.”

“The Dilgar are smart, if they are giving us this technology it’s because their own versions are superior.” Dayan reasoned. “However it does appear to work, it does appear safe, and given how easy it is to link with existing systems we can have the first batch active in a couple of weeks.”

“I don’t see that we have much choice.” Levy sighed. “Will this turn the tables?”

“It’s not going to level the playing field, we’re still badly out gunned and we still know very little of the Minbari.” Dayan shook his head. “But it will let us fight back, it’ll let us hit their ships and hurt them. I reluctantly advise accepting Dilgar assistance.”

“Do it.”

The decision was made, the path set. There was nothing now but to hope it was a smart move and that it would do more good than harm. Levy moved on.

“What news from our allies?”

“Good news, Stro’kath is preparing two thousand ships.” Sheridan smiled. “It will be a welcome boost, Drazi ships are lightly built but very fast. They can close on the Minbari from different angles, hopefully distract them until our big guns get into range.”

“I think he’s looking forward to a good fight.” Chapel grinned. “Admiral Ferguson is keen to integrate them into our plans, he’s already been in contact.”

“They were a good team fighting the Dilgar.” Dayan agreed. “Bit like the old days.”

“We also have an agreement with the Narn to buy Centauri weapons technology recovered during their uprising.” Santiago informed. “It isn’t cheap, but it will significantly boost our firepower. Definitely worth the money.”

“On a more concerning note we’ve had a few ships vanish on the Mars Jupiter run.” Dayan warned. “The patrol we sent also vanished.”

“Minbari?”

“It’s possible, I’ve increased the strength of our patrols with any ship we can find. Some brand new, some a bit older.”

“If they’ve penetrated to the Sol system that’s a concern.” Sheridan frowned. “They could blitz all the way through and there’s not much we can do to stop them.”

“It’s a definite risk, even if we encode the beacons they can still be detected. By process of elimination they’ll find the right one eventually.” Chapel considered grimly.

“See what you can do gentlemen.” Levy ordered. “In the meantime we have to install these new sensors and find a way to use them effectively.”

Beta Durani

Space Station Beta Prime

“In a press conference just an hour ago President Levy confirmed initial reports that the attempt to retake the Cyrus colony had met with disaster. ISN had previously learned from several refugee ships fleeing the scene that a Minbari fleet of unknown size had secured the area and were conducting landings. This too was confirmed.”

Along with the rest of the station’s operations staff Captain Helena Black watched the report grimly, the usually perky news reporter much more professional as she delivered bad news.

“In a large scale battle the President confirmed that almost the entire Fourth Fleet had been destroyed. Enemy casualties are not known at this point but the Minbari remain in control of Cyrus and its colony. The President has authorised the recalling to service of selected veterans of the Dilgar war and has given Earth Force a blank cheque to reactivate reserve warships put into mothballs after the last war, and to begin a massive building programme.

In related news while the markets have been down heavily in light of announcements regarding the war, today’s news of massive military procurements have helped boost the defence industry and ship building leading to a moderate recovery.”

“Screen, off.” Black commanded, the display going dark. “Well great.”

The command deck remained quiet for a while, the dozen blue uniformed crew lingering on their thoughts. Cyrus was only one jump away, and if the Minbari owned it that meant there was nothing to stop them walking straight through the gate and hitting Beta colony.

“The whole fleet?” Commander Lin Kawoo asked in bewilderment, shaking her sleek dark hair. “We’ve never lost a whole fleet before, not even at Balos.”

“This is our worst defeat since the founding.” Black agreed. “And according to the ships that made it back we barely scratched the enemy fleet in return. Massacre.”

She exhaled, mentally assessing their chances of holding out in a fight. It wasn’t optimistic.

“If the Minbari show up, what are our chances?” The Commander asked, virtually reading her thoughts.

“I can sum it up in one word.” Black half smiled. “But it wouldn’t be very lady like of me to repeat it.”

Beta Prime was very well armed, as were the four Orion bases guarding other sectors of the planet, but from what she had heard it wasn’t going to help. Beta Durani was now the front line in a major war and a blindingly obvious strategic target. Black had been assigned command four years ago, it wasn’t exactly what she had wanted but it was a high profile assignment guaranteed to set her up for promotion. She would have preferred a warship, or if possible one of the new Explorer class ships, but she endured the politics and business negotiations, indeed she had even grown to like it.

It had been peaceful, apart from the police raids, the smuggling and the occasional heated row over survey rights. Nobody was dumb enough to actually attack Beta Colony, despite the rich pickings no Raider was anywhere near that suicidal. The local fighter squadrons and patrol ships kept themselves busy running down smugglers and on one notable occasion had to break up a fight with a dozen armed freighters working for rival companies, but that was it.

Now, suddenly they were staring at an alien warfleet that had just wiped the floor with the biggest concentration of ships in the region and was undoubtedly looking their way. Apparently all their bad luck had lumped itself together and was heading in with a vengeance.

The Minbari would not find them unprepared. Given its position as the gateway to the rim Beta colony had attracted quite a few of the more adventurous Earth Force officers, men and women who had missed out on an Explorer division posting but still wanted to get close to the edge. Consequently she had some of the best pilots in the Alliance at her command in some of the best maintained and tuned Starfuries available. Her security forces and Marines were also hardened veterans, patrolling the mean streets and hitting smugglers bases had made them a tough and flexible force well suited to fighting a brutal close quarters war with the Minbari.

“It’s no secret we’re going to be next.” She announced. “Keep all fighters ready to drop at short notice and ensure our patrols are up to strength.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Also let our ground forces know we probably won’t be able to hold orbit. Recommend they disperse from their main bases and get ready for a Guerrilla war.”

“The Governor and Council have agreed to declare martial law if the Minbari are detected on approach.” Commander Kawoo informed. “They’ll submit to military authority, which I suppose means you.”

“At least I can skip that whole running for office thing.” Black remarked in cold amusement. “I want to talk to the Mafia, they might not like us but if the Minbari are going to invade and start slaughtering their customers they might want to help us. I’ll take any armed people I can at this point.”

“I forwarded your request for immediate reinforcements to Earth Force Command.” Kawoo continued. “They say they have no forces to spare, we will have to manage with what we have.”

“They were massing at Proxima, Orion and Earth itself last I heard.” Black gritted her teeth. “Not a great sign.”

“Does that mean we’re expected to fend for ourselves?”

“Pretty much Commander.” Black sighed. “Hell, with the Fourth fleet gone I don’t think there’s another fleet close enough to help anyway. What do we have?”

“Eighteenth cruiser squadron, three Hyperions and four corvettes.” Kawoo answered. “That’s it, they were on patrol near the rim and headed back here as fast as they could when the shooting started. They are currently in hyperspace watching the jump route.”

“That would make them the closest vessels to the Minbari?”

“Yes Ma’am.” The Korean XO confirmed. “We also had a scout cruiser, the Sphinx. She’s in hyperspace too watching the lanes.”

“Where in hyperspace?”

“Near Cygnus, holding station just off the main network.”

“Very risky, Cygnus is a mess.” Black winced. “The black hole churns up hyperspace like crazy, it’s a very narrow path through the maelstrom.”

“I believe that is why they are there. If the Minbari are coming here they’ll have to pass the Maelstrom on that narrow path. Makes them easy to spot.”

“Who’s in command of the Sphinx?”

“Jack Maynard Ma’am.”

“Well let’s hope he knows what he is doing.”

Hyperspace

Near the Cygnus Maelstrom

The ship jolted hard as the gravity wave battered it, the interior echoing with a tremendous bang that did little to soothe the nerves of the crew.

“What was that?” Captain Maynard glanced around. “Did anything break?”

“We have some buckling ports side, F-frame.” One of his crew reported. “We still have beacon lock.”

That was an obvious relief. Hyperspace here was so violent that losing the beacons for just a second or two would result in catastrophe. Unlike conventional space the realm of hyperspace was a folded rippling miasma of energy and gravity, great peaks and troughs threatened the unwary traveller while whirlpools and maelstroms distorted the red shifted universe that engulfed them. It was a place of danger and risks where even a brief loss of concentration could lead to disaster. Many had likened it to walking a winding mountain path with sheer cliffs on both sides. At night. In fog. While drunk.

Sensors were virtually useless, far too easily distorted and fooled to rely on, the only way to travel was to follow fixed beacons marking out the safe routes in hyperspace, the areas of relative calm where ships could navigate. The beacons existed in normal space beaming a tachyon signal into the tumult that provided a solid waypoint, if that signal was lost a vessel would drift off the path in a very short time, the treacherous gravity waves dragging a ship away. Even if the beacon reactivated it would be outside of the very limited sensor range within just a few moments. Standard procedure was to try and stop dead and wait for the signal to return, but in truth that was a forlorn hope. There was no such thing as standing still in the constantly moving morass of hyperspace, there were very few points of reference in hyperspace beside the beacons. Only sources of intense gravity had an effect and usually for the worse. To become lost in hyperspace was an instant death sentence, it was impossible to even jump back as the volatile regions outside jump routes scattered the tachyons needed to make a vortex.

“Just watch those thrusters.” Maynard reminded. “We’re already damn close to the Maelstrom.”

The Cygnus Maelstrom was one of those rare fixed point in hyperspace, the result of the intense gravity of the Cygnus singularity exerting an influence beyond dimensions. It was a massive swirling whirlpool of gravity and exotic energy dangerously close to the Durani jump route, an otherwise stable and swift path by hyperspace standards. The route was well marked and had a lot more beacons than average for safety but ships had still gone missing here. If a ship ran into trouble in most places it had ten or twenty seconds to get back on beacon. Here it had no margin for error, one mistake, one error in navigation while passing the Maelstrom, and it was all over.

This naturally made Maynard nervous. His ship wasn’t on the main route, it was just off to the side of the main path hidden in what would be considered the ‘long grass’ of hyperspace. You could still travel through it but the gravity distortions were very noticeable and a ship had to expend a lot of fuel to hold course. He still had a beacon lock but he was operating at the edge of what was considered safe, one solid wave of energy and he could be nudged just far enough away to lose the signal. That would be a bad thing.

Not far away the Eighteenth cruiser squadron was performing a similar manoeuvre, the more powerful warship engines holding position better than his elderly scout ship. The Sphinx was an Oracle class, a modified version of Earth’s first ever jump capable ship launched almost a century ago. It was of course a poor design to send into open war but had found a niche as an electronic warfare ship and as a scout using an enhanced sensor array to aid in combat. Several had gone into Cyrus to try and break the Minbari jamming but with no apparent effect.

That sensor array was now Maynard’s curse. His ship had been reassigned from exploration to piquet duty, to sit in hyperspace and look for the Minbari offensive. On the chart of suicidal ideas this ranked a 9.8, up alongside self immolation and shotgun lobotomies.

“Captain, I might have something.”

Those were not words he needed to hear.

“Can you be more specific?”

“Unusual gravitic emissions, very focused. Could be a propulsion system.”

“Like the Minbari use.” Maynard whistled. “Where?”

“Far side of the Maelstrom, were bouncing a signal off the beacons, it’s very fuzzy.”

“Get a probe out there.”

“On it.” The officer set to work. “Launching probe.”

A small tube opened on the hull, releasing the robotic device. They had been specially designed to navigate the harsh environment of hyperspace, using the parent ship as a reference point to seek out new routes and expand the beacon network into unexplored territory. In this instance the probe just used the existing network, cruising past the Maelstrom towards the contact.

“Nothing yet.” The sensor officer reported. “Sensor range is very short near the Maelstrom, visual clouded.”

Virtually the whole bridge was on the edge of their seats, watching their displays, trying to make out something in the red and black.

“Should almost on top of them…”

The screen suddenly showed the clouds part to reveal the immense prow of a Minbari warcruiser, the blue hull stained blood red by the dull gloom of the dimension. A second later it fired, destroying the probe.

“Ah hell.” Maynard cursed. “Get a message to Beta Prime, tell them we have incoming. Then warn the cruisers and get ready to head back to Durani, I think they’ll need our help.”

Captain Black took the message with resignation.

“How long?”

“Four hours, maybe a little less.” Captain Maynard relayed. “It’ll take them a while to pass the Maelstrom but after that it’s a clean run.”

“Understood Captain. I’ll ask you to hold position a while longer, try to get me some hard numbers on the Minbari fleet, then get out of there.”

“I’ll do what I can Captain, Maynard out.”

She leaned back in her chair.

“Well that answers that.”

“What should we do Captain?” Kawoo asked apprehensively, her youthful features fighting shock.

“Order the ground forces to disperse, bring the defence grid to hot standby, and make sure our fighter pilots get a damn good meal.” She ordered.

“Last Supper?”

“Something like that.” Black nodded slowly. “How many civilian ships are still in the system?”

“Over seven hundred.”

“Get as many out as you can. We’ll try buy them as much time as possible.”

“Yes Captain.”

“Better tell the Governor we’re expecting company, have him move civilians into the shelters. Pray it does some good.”

Minbari Battlecruiser Eternal Duty

Flagship, Star Riders clan.

Approaching Beta Durani.

“The probe was undoubtedly human in origin.”

“Then they know we are on our way.” Alyt Vetenn intoned, looking around at the storm of hyperspace. “So much the better. We have no need to sneak up on them, there is little reason to be cautious.”

That at least was true. Vetenn had been sparring with another of his clan when news of the attack on the Council arrived. It had shaken him in a way he had not thought possible, the sheer affront of firing on the revered Grey Council, the treachery of meeting a diplomatic mission with gunfire. It had enraged him and all those around him, but when it was then learned Dukhat had been killed by this sneak attack, words were inadequate to his emotions.

Dukhat was a Minbari like no other. He had the wisdom of a great priest, famously debating the legacy of Valen for an entire month stopping only for sleep and food with the entire leadership of the Religious caste and ultimately winning the argument. He had showed great architectural ability and technical prowess, designing a new temple with such sublime brilliance and respect for tradition the Worker caste immediately bowed their heads and set to work on his design without modification. He had then also challenged the legendary Durhan to single combat, the greatest duellist in generations, before fighting him to a standstill if not exactly winning. His courage and determination earned Durhan’s respect, and as Durhan bowed before Dukhat so followed the entire warrior caste.

No leader since Valen had ever managed that, to meet each caste on their own terms and prove he could stand with the best of them, to show he had the wisdom of the religious class, the practicality of the worker caste and the courage of the warrior caste. Dukhat was made the leader of the Nine, chief of the Grey Council and found himself universally supported. Obedience was expected of course, but people did not follow Dukhat out of mere duty, but out of choice. He was the greatest Minbari in a thousand years, rising to power as Valen had predicted, ready to lead his people into the great darkness as was prophesied. He was their great hope of defeating the Shadows, and now that hope was lost.

What happened next required no thought. The people went wild with grief, mourning their leader and for many mourning themselves, for without Dukhat who would stand against the Shadows in his place? It wasn’t just the end of a man, but the end of all beings. Most believed this was the first shot in the great war itself.

Vetenn and his people had no idea who the humans were or what strength they had. Like most Minbari he had no interest in the affairs of other races and the information his elders provided did not extend beyond images of the ships that had fired on the Council and a route to their suspected base. The Warrior caste went to war expecting an apocalypse, ready to wage war against the great darkness as their ancestors had, to fight and die in defence of the light.

They were shocked when the first battles ended so quickly. The humans had killed Dukhat, Vetenn expected them to be a ferociously powerful enemy but it was not so. It was barely worth the effort of showing up. He was genuinely surprised, as the second most senior leader of the Star Rider clan Vetenn had the honour of leading this wave of the attack and was expecting heavy casualties, so far he had killed over six hundred human ships for the loss of a handful of fighters.

Still, the power of his enemies was irrelevant, their crime stood. The Council had ordered the extermination of the species and that was now Vetenn’s task. The Minbari had waged two wars since Valen’s era, in both cases they had completely destroyed the warriors of those races and then left. This time they would wipe out everyone. This was the word of the Council.

“Frigates forward.” Vetenn ordered. “This area is unstable, move through slowly and ensure there are no traps. If they know we are coming they could have mined this region.”

“Yes Alyt.”

He smiled slightly, a Windsword would have just ordered a fleet advance with no precautions. He had no idea why they had command of the Black Star, it was a honour he hoped to earn himself after this war.

“Proceed.”

“They’re on their way.” Maynard reported, his communications crackling as they fought to get through the environment.

“Understood Captain.” Black responded from Beta Prime. “I don’t think you can do much more, head for Orion or Proxima with whatever information you have.”

“Sir.” His sensor officer raised her voice. “I have movement, our cruisers are moving.”

“What was that Captain?” Black strained to hear.

“The Eighteenth are on the move, they’re heading to engage.”

“Recall them.”

“Maynard to Captain Stavros, Beta control is ordering you back to Proxima.”

There was a pause before the officer answered, his voice utterly calm.

“Jack, you saw what their ships can do in an even fight. Beta doesn’t stand a chance. We’re going to hit them as they cross the Maelstrom.”

“There are at least eighty ships out there!”

“And they all have to travel single file through this narrow path.” Stavros replied. “And in hyperspace they won’t see us coming.”

“Captain…”

“This is our best chance to slow them down, maybe even turn them back!” Stavros spoke passionately. “This is what must be done. You understand Captain.”

Maynard reluctantly nodded. “I understand Kris. Good hunting.”

“Go tell the Spartans.” Stavros replied proudly. “Safe journey Jack.”

The mists and energy distortions of hyperspace hid them to the last moment, the particular violence of this region allowing the EA cruisers to approach almost unhindered. One second there was nothing but angry red skies, then without any warning the haze was torn away by the blunt bow of a Hyperion cruising at maximum speed on a collision course for the closest Minbari cruiser.

The blue hulled ship immediately turned aside and fired, destroying a Corvette instantly before the cruisers could shoot back. The range was less than three kilometres, the trio of cruisers passing on both sides of the surprised Sharlin and training their guns. They still didn’t have a lock, but flank on at this range the Sharlin was a massive target.

The exchange of fire was brutal, a rapid salvo of blue pulses hammering the Minbari cruiser, fracturing its hull in gouts of flame. Each impact was magnified by the energy caressing the warships, every shot reacting more violently as the fickle nature of hyperspace exerted itself. The Sharlin managed to reply with its secondary guns, the fusion cannons also benefiting from the magnification effect. Two Hyperions were torn to shreds but not before they had inflicted enough damage for their third sister to finish the job.

The point ship fell away, burning fiercely and wracked by secondary explosions, drifting off beacon and consumed by the red and black mist. The four surviving EA ships left her there, firing at the pair of frigates that should have been acting as escort. Virtually every shot missed, a bank of gravitic energy lurking between the two enemies curving and bending the weapon fire unpredictably, saving the EA ships from destruction.

“Human ships, dead ahead!”

Vetenn focused on the warning, the holographic curtain displaying the targets. He snarled a little, they had taken him by surprise.

“Concentrate fire. How did they get past the vanguard?”

“The Silver Dagger is not responding Alyt, escorts report they are unable to fire effectively across the gravity incline.”

“Valen’s fury.” He swore. “This is why we don’t fight in hyperspace. Order them to close the range! Fighter escort forward!”

The Minbari frigates altered course, a risky move in the narrow safe path of the Maelstrom. Already the battered EA force was past them and closing on the main body of the Minbari force, several more light ships trying and failing to hit them. Neither side was scoring hits even at ten kilometres, which suited the EA ships just fine.

Fighters raced forward, their guns ripping deep into the human armour, taking out gun turrets and thrusters. One Corvette began to slip behind, swarmed by fighters scenting blood. It fought hard but could not endure the thousand cuts inflicted by the fighters, fading into the murk on fire and out of control. It did however draw off the bulk of the fighters, their pilots taking the easy kill instead of engaging the bigger threat, a serious error in judgement and training. The Cruiser and her two last escorts raced on, blasting a great hole in the drive fin of a frigate which began to fall behind, frantically trying to hold position on the beacon.

“Earth cruiser moving into range.”

“Concentrate escorts a head. Close to one kilometre and burn it down.”

“She’s launching missiles, fusion warheads!”

“All stop!” Vetenn ordered. “Maximum defensive fire!”

The fleet paused, the half dozen ships at the front opening fire with all they had. The ranges were dangerously short and their sensors greatly hindered but the Minbari point defences proved their worth. However while they were firing at the missiles they weren’t shooting at the Cruiser.

“She’s on a collision course!”

“Maximum firepower!”

“It won’t stop her!”

From nowhere one the Tinashi class ships crossed ahead of Vetenn, its hull filling the great chamber with gleaming blue and purple. Seeing the threat to the flagship it took the only action it could, ramming the bow of the human ship from an angle and pushing it aside. Both vessels rolled away in flames, vanishing into the Maelstrom. Behind it the two corvettes were destroyed as a mere after thought.

“That was the Unwavering Cause.” The bridge reported.

“Alyt Remnon.” Vetenn exhaled. “He knew even in death the wreck of the human ship would hit us, it had to be physically diverted. His sacrifice will be remembered and honoured.”

“Yes Alyt Vetenn.”

“Resume course, and this time make sure the point ship is properly escorted.”

“The Eighteenth is gone.” Maynard sighed. “But it looks like they took down a battlecruiser, maybe one or two escorts.”

“Our first real kills of this war.” Black acknowledged. “Captain Stavros and his people will be remembered.”

“The Minbari are back on course, I have a few nukes on board, I might be able to get close enough to use them, make them at least evade and lose the beacon.”

“Negative Jack, head back to…” Black stopped mid sentence, something clicking in her head.

“Beta Prime? Are you still there?”

“Jack, are they crossing the Maelstrom?”

“As we speak.”

“Get out of there Jack, jump to normal space, do it right now!” Black demanded with a strong tone of urgency in her voice.

“We’re almost on top of the Cygnus Singularity.” Maynard protested. “Our jump drives are so inaccurate we might end up inside it!”

“Take the risk Jack, just get out of hyperspace right now!”

“Copy that.” He replied, his gut tightening. “Navigation, emergency jump.”

“Aye sir, jumping into Cygnus.”

“Brace yourselves.” Maynard warned. “And pray. That’s an order.”

Captain Black waited a few more seconds, from her position she couldn’t really tell if the jump had been successful. She hoped it was.

“Commander, take the safety locks off the beacon network.”

“The beacons?” Kawoo raised her eyebrows.

“You heard me Commander, select every beacon between here and Cyrus including the Maelstrom.” Black ordered, forcing her breath to remain steady. Select them, and shut them down.”

“What?” Kawoo exclaimed. “Captain!”

“Just do it Commander!”

“No one has ever deactivated a section of the beacon network, we might not be able to restore it!”

“I am well aware of the risks! We have no ships out there, we have nothing to lose! Now kill the damn beacons!”

The Commander was not entirely correct, selective deactivation of the beacon network had been done before. Black was aware of a Drazi story about a race that had done it centuries ago to hide themselves from Drazi attacks. It appeared that when they tried to restore their connection to the galaxy wide beacon network hyperspace had shifted making their old readings invalid. They had never been seen again.

She watched the map of local space, the beacons looking like street lights snaking from one sector to another. On her orders they began flickering out, the route between Cyrus and Beta Durani going dark. Some beacons were human, others were part of the original ancient hyperspace network, but it didn’t matter. All of them went dark.

Vetenn heard the alarms and at once looked for more human ships, trying to scry some divination out of the mists. He knew this was a vulnerable stage in the journey but he was prepared for anything, at least he imagined he was.

“Alyt! We just lost the beacon signal!”

“Reacquire the last good beacon.”

“It’s gone too! Every beacon in range just went down! All ships report the same!”

“Valen’s name!” Vetenn had no plan for this, it hadn’t even crossed his mind. “Immediate jump! Get us out…!

The Eternal Duty dropped suddenly like a rock, the artificial gravity doing virtually nothing to stop the effect. Vetenn bounced aross the floor and into a distant wall, breaking half his ribs in the process.

“We’re in the Maelstom!” A voice from the bridge yelled. “Jump engines offline!”

The entire ship was creaking, the massively strong hull compressing under the crush of gravity.

“Emergency power! Put everything in the engines!” Vetenn yelled through the pain.

“It isn’t working! Hull integrity compromised!”

The ship hit another gravity incline, shearing off its fins and cracking the hull like an egg. Vetenn had the pleasure of being catapulted into the roof of the chamber at over a thousand miles an hour as his flagship disintegrated, no trace of it ever to be found again.

Most of the Minbari fleet suffered the same fate, dragged into the Maelstrom by the shifting tides and eddies. Those that saw the danger tried to react but it was pointless. The forward elements of the fleet were lost in seconds, caught in the whirlpools and accelerated far beyond their design limits. Some broke up, others were slammed into gravitational inclines like a glass bottle into a brick wall. The raw power of the Maelstrom was simply unimaginable and completely unsurvivable.

The ships closer to the rear tried to jump, several of them actually managing to form a vortex before they were dragged away. Some were snatched into the Maelstrom before they could enter the vortex, the opening simply shutting down as the parent vessel was carried millions of miles away in seconds. Only a tiny handful actually made it out of hyperspace.

“There’s another.” Maynard watched a vortex open on top of the Cygnus black hole, the gateway distorting under the gravity pull. The ship exited and was instantly crushed, glittering fragments merging with the accretion disc. “Make that six in total.”

Maynard’s ship had been far enough away to jump safely into the Cygnus system, just on the edge of the black hole’s area of effect. The Minbari on the other hand were much closer, their vortexes opening so close they were dragged to face the Singularity depositing the warships right in its maw.

“Get a signal back to Beta Prime, tell them the Minbari fleet is lost.” Maynard reported. “Then request reactivation of the network. It’s a nice view but I don’t fancy staying here.”

“I suppose that’s going to make the Minbari stop and rethink their plans.”

“Yeah.” Maynard nodded. “And at least we got some payback for the Fourth Fleet. If they hated us before they’re going to really hate us after this one.”


	5. Chapter 5

5

Between Mars and Jupiter.

“She’s out of range of nuke two, only one left.”

It didn’t matter, it would be enough. He watched her run, watched the flagship of the Minbari fleet, the queen of the skies turning tail and fleeing for its life. If he died now, right now, he would die satisfied that his final act was to kill this monster.

“See you in hell.”

The wave of radiation caught the Black Star, sublimating portions of the outer hull leaving glowing scars on its flanks. The whole vessel was shoved sideways by the transformation of solid to gas, its outer hull stripped and torn. For a heartbeat she hung there, glowing in the reflection of the nuclear blast, molten rock illuminating her in stark whites and yellows, and then the Black Star died. Her reactors collapsed, their systems shorted by the attack. Containment failed, the system ran out of control and within a second it was done. The Black Star was immolated from the inside out, a burning sun that melted the vessel out of existence leaving a small sun in its place.

The crew of the Lexington burst into cheers, the tension gone, the certainty of their failure banished. They had not only survived they had actually won, they had beaten the unbeatable. It was a rare excuse to feel some real joy.

Sheridan just felt tired. It had been a gamble and it had worked but they were far from home free yet. They were still isolated in the middle of an ambush zone in a ship that was barely holding together.

“Lieutenant Carol, double check those readings.” Sheridan cut through the cheers. “You make damn sure that bastard is dead.”

“It’s confirmed, there’s nothing out there bigger than a spoon.”

“Alright.” He lowered his head and closed his eyes for a second, planning their next move. “Alright people, good job, we did the impossible. Now we need to do it again. I’d bet good money that ship isn’t operating this far behind our lines without some sort of support network.”

“You think there might be more of them sir?”

“I do.” Sheridan nodded confidently. “And we need to do something about it.”

“Commander our distress signal has been acknowledged, the nearest patrol group is on its way.”

“Might not be enough.” He considered. “What happened to the Bolivar?”

“Shot down in the first pass.” Carol replied.

“She was carrying over sixty warheads onboard in her launch tubes. I’m guessing she didn’t get a chance to fire them?”

“No sir.”

“So they’re still there.” Sheridan concluded. “I need more EVA teams. Recover those warheads and set them for proximity detonation. Same plan as before.”

“Respectfully sir, that isn’t a lot of warheads if we don’t know where the enemy will approach from.”

“But we do know Lieutenant.” Sheridan smiled. “They lured us into an ambush, a pre-plotted jump point. I’ll bet good money any mission to locate their missing ship uses that exact same location to jump in. Minbari efficiency.”

It seemed a reasonable enough guess.

“Understood sir, moving us into position.”

“Make sure the EVA teams work fast, they could arrive any time. Let’s try and add a little insult to injury.”

Beta Durani.

“I was wondering when this would arrive.” Captain Helena Black screwed up the paper and hurled it across her office, missing the bin by a good margin.

“What is it Captain?” her XO Lin Kawoo asked.

“A recall ordered, I’m being summoned to Proxima to meet with General Denisov.” She exhaled. “I’m betting that whole unilaterally turning off the beacon network without permission probably has something to do with it.”

“And killing eighty Minbari ships in the process?” Lin reminded. “He probably wants to give you a medal.”

“Yes, which he will hand to me between the bars of my jail cell.”

“I’m sure it won’t be anything like that.”

“You better hope not.” She handed over another sheet of paper to the Korean XO. “He’s sent for you too.”

“Oh right.” She read the orders. “Oh… right.”

“A new officer is already on his way, with Beta Durani now the front line they are massing more ships in this region, assigning a full general to take command.” Black relayed. “Matter of fact I heard they were wheeling Hamato out of retirement.”

“The commander of our combined fleets in the Dilgar war?”

“Rumour mill said he was a broken man after Balos, considered it a betrayal that the government wouldn’t let him finish the job.” The Captain gave a shrug. “Do you remember it on the news? The President pinned the Medal of Honour on him, and he took it off and handed it back along with his sword and rank stars. I bet that took more balls than fighting Deathwalker.”

“If the government are reactivating his commission they must be serious about where this war is going. Good to see they aren’t letting pride get in the way of practicality.”

“So we might not be getting drummed out of the service?”

“Only one way to find out. Pack a bag Commander, no point keeping the firing squad waiting.”

Somewhere in Minbari Space

“Well.” Jenimer cleared his throat. “That did not go exactly according to plan.”

The Council stood in silence as it watched the Black Star explode for the fourth time, the intercepted transmission from Earth broadcasts confirming their suspicions.

“It is not fake.” Fenner of the Worker Caste shared. “We have determined the images to be genuine.”

“They tricked the most honoured ship in our fleet into an ambush.” Snarled Morann, the young warrior barely restraining his fierce temper. “Tricked it and then murdered it! There was no chance for it to fight back? What honour is there in that?”

There was a gentle snort of derision from the smallest member of the Council, the noise drawing in attention.

“Did the Black Star itself not trick human ships into an ambush?” Delenn countered. “Do they have a chance to fight back against us? You are right Morann, there is no honour in such a battle.”

“You dare impune the honour of the Warrior Caste?”

“I make no such accusation.” Delenn retorted. “But I wonder why you are so swift to defend that which should be beyond reproach?”

“Enough.” Jenimer tapped the staff of office on the deck drawing the Council to order. With Dukhat gone Jenimer had stepped forward as temporary leader. As the longest serving and oldest of the Council it was his right until an election could be held. “What about the other vessels?”

“We lost six additional escorts trying to discover the truth regarding the Black Star.” Coplann answered in his carefully modulated voice. “We believe they fell victim to the same tactic.”

“And all you had to do was turn on the news.” Delenn said simply.

“We have marked the human who did this” Morann sneered. “This John Sheridan will be brought to justice.”

“I have yet to see warrior justice.” Delenn commented sharply.

“You will when you witness their worlds burning.”

“Satai.” Jenimer raised his voice again. “We must resolve the most urgent issue these disasters have placed before us. The destruction of the Black Star cost us Shai Alyt Sekann, our overall military commander and senior warrior of the Windsword clan. In a cruel twist we have also lost Vetenn of the Star riders, the warrior who would have taken over in the event of Sekann’s death.”

“Who is next in the chain of command?” Rathenn of the Religious Caste asked.

“That is a matter of dispute.” Jenimer exhaled.

“The dispute is pointless.” Morann dismissed. “The Windsword clan has taken the lead in this war, Alyt Sineval is next in line of command.”

“The Star riders dispute this.” Coplann interjected. “The Windswords have so far led us into two completely avoidable disasters.”

“I remind my fellow warrior that the fleet lost in hyperspace was under Star rider command.”

“And I remind the Satai that they were following Windsword orders to advance at full speed without deploying adequate scouts.”

“We can discuss why this happened later.” Jenimer cut off the brewing argument. “You have both summoned your candidates so we may question them?”

“We have.” Both warriors agreed.

“Bring them before us.”

“The Windswords summon Sineval, of the family Kerazad.”

“The Star riders summon Branmer, of the family Mir.”

Delenn at once raised her gaze, turning to confirm the identity of her kinsman. Two males in the black of a warrior entered the circle, each bearing badges of rank and honour with subtle differences displaying their heritage. Sineval was broad and hard faced, his features heavily lined and his eyes narrow and angry. In contrast Branmer was taller and more relaxed, emanating an aura of calm.

“Summoned, we stand before the council.” Both warriors announced in perfect unison.

“You are here to determine your suitability to lead.” Jenimer informed flatly. “One of you will leave here Shai Alyt. We will judge who.”

“If I may speak.” Sineval stepped forward, Jenimer granting his request with a nod. “I am a true warrior of Minbar, raised since birth to fight, kill and if needed die for my people. My opponent is a priest wearing a warrior’s robes! The choice should be clear.”

“Tell me Sineval, what is your strategy?” Coplann asked.

“To strike the humans as hard and swiftly as possible as is our way.” He replied with relish. “The Windswords revel in open war! We must seek their fleets, their worlds, their places of strength and attack them head on, destroying them completely.”

“Frontal assaults are costly in terms of lives, even in victory.” Coplann cautioned.

“Death in battle is not to be feared.” Morann remarked snidely.

“Not to be feared, but not to be embraced either.” Coplann retaliated.

“Death is merely the final act of a warrior’s life.” Sineval added. “To die in service of our people is a high honour indeed.”

“It sounds you are perhaps intoxicated with death in battle?” Fenner queried.

“Merely accepting of the possibility honoured Satai of the Worker Caste. “Sineval bowed. “It is not something a worker would understand.”

Coplann grunted.

“It is not something I understand.”

“Which only serves my point.” Morann shot him a look, drawing a sneer from the Star Rider Satai.

“Focus.” Jenimer reminded. “You would bicker before Dukhat? Do not do so in this place which holds his legacy.”

The two senior warriors fell reluctantly silent.

“Branmer. Speak.”

The taller of the two walked forward, ignoring the glare from Sineval’s angry eyes.

“My colleague is correct, I was not born a warrior. My father was Venmer of the Star riders, a respected leader of fleets, but my mother was Herienn of the religious caste, so my blood was that of a Priest. I served in the temples as was required, but I ever felt the warrior heritage in my bones. I studied the ways of Valen, became a teacher and a scholar seeking answers in the ancient texts.”

“He admits his unsuitability.” Morann waved.

“He has admitted no such thing.” Coplann shot back. “Let him speak as we listened to your candidate.”

“Branmer.” Delenn drew his attention. “When did you choose to become a warrior?”

“In my time I studied with Dukhat, and with your father.” He smiled warmly. “I counted both as friends so when I learned Dukhat had fallen I felt moved to act. I could no longer simply read the deeds of others, the blood of my father called out in my veins and it changed the direction of my heart. I sought the Star riders and joined their ranks.”

“Branmer applied as a mere initiate.” Coplann informed. “Seeking to serve as a humble foot soldier. When we recognised him and recalled his great wisdom and the deeds of his father we gave him a place of honour among the strategists of our clan.”

“I have developed a strategy for this war. Methodical, careful, an approach which conserves our strength to be released in overwhelming force at a time of our choosing.”

“Against humans such tactics are pointless, they are no challenge.” Sineval discounted.

“The challenge may not be defeating the enemy, but in improving ourselves and relearning the tactics of Valen.” Branmer answered. “To ensure we are prepared for the coming darkness as Dukhat desired.”

“The Windswords respect the wisdom of Alyt Branmer.” Morann said flatly. “But in war wisdom is not so important as combat prowess.”

“We disagree.” Coplann stated.

“Alyt Sineval is a master warrior, if we wish to decide the better warrior why not simply let them duel?”

Delenn laughed harshly. “Because Morann the ability to hit people with a stick does not mean you can command a fleet! Unless Alyt Sineval is so skilled with the pike that he can destroy human battleships in one swing?”

“Do you mock an honoured warrior Delenn?” Morann bristled.

“Warriors have their place, but they must also recognise their limits as Valen did.” Delenn countered. “I remind the Council Valen was priest before he was a warrior, as is Branmer.”

“That is disputed.”

“What is not disputed is that wars require many skills.” Coplann interjected. “Branmer may not be skilled with a pike, if Sineval wishes to decide leadership of the fleet through single combat then I shall summon Neroon to the circle, or perhaps Durhan.”

The Windsword did not seem particularly enthused at the idea.

“Alyt Sineval seeks to continue the existing strategy, one which has already seen unnecessary losses, preventable losses.” Coplann pointed out. “We need a new direction, a wiser mind to direct our forces and quell the fire of battle lust. As a student of Valen’s war Branmer is the wisest warrior, and at this time we need wisdom before we need fury.”

“All has been said that needs to be said.” Jenimer called an end to proceedings. “The Council will vote. Those in favour of Sineval?”

The chamber went dark as the Satai dimmed the lights above them, only Morann retained his signalling his opinion.

“It is decided. Branmer is made Shai Alyt.” The leader of the Nine announced. “Go now and continue this war as you see fit.”

Both men bowed and left, the lights of the chamber returning.

“The Council has made an error.” Morann spat.

“Our only error was tolerating Windsword control of the fleet for so long.” Coplann retorted sharply. “That is now corrected.”

“Branmer was a good choice.” Fenner considered. “But why not consider Althain of the Nightwalkers? He is champion of Minbar is he not?”

“Althain is a leader of armies, not of fleets.” Coplann answered. “He is the greatest of warriors, of that few will disagree, but Branmer remains a superior strategist and a better leader of warships.”

“Althain supported Branmer and refused to stand against him.” Jenimer clarified. “He is fighting on the human world of Cyrus, he will inform us of his findings regarding human warriors.”

“Naming them warriors is an insult.” Morann sneered.

“I will wait for Althain’s word on that.” Coplann shook his head. “You may argue with him, if you do not wish to keep your teeth in your head.”

“The matter is resolved.” Jenimer grunted. “We must discuss another issue, several members of the league of Non-aligned Worlds have offered aid to Earth. Warships are massing as we speak.”

“Sineval monitored the League during the war with the Dilgar, observed them closely.” Morann chuckled. “This isn’t even a threat.”

“Never the less our war is with Earth, not the League.” Rathenn said. “We should contact them, inform them not to interfere.”

“They fight in honour of a debt.” Delenn considered. “If they do attack us it will be for a noble cause, at least from their perspective. To destroy them would be an injustice.”

“So we must convince them it is better to abandon their friends than to make an enemy of us.” Morann surmised.

“For once I agree.” Coplann nodded. “A show of force is necessary, a demonstration of our ability to reach the League and if necessary bring it down in a single day.”

“I will not support expanding this war to the League.” Delenn said firmly. “I will not support taking more lives.”

“I do not believe that will be necessary.” Coplann explained. “Simply send a fleet to each homeworld, jump out in bombardment range and let them understand that if we wanted to we could destroy them and that it is beyond their power to stop us. A simple message.”

“We will vote.” Jenimer decreed. “Those in favour?”

It was unanimous.

“Provided it is just a demonstration.” Delenn nodded.

“What about the Narn? They are selling weapons to Earth?” Fenner raised.

“Let them, it won’t make any difference.” Morann dismissed. “The outcome is inevitable.”

Alaca.

“Are you seriously still eating that Rohric canned stuff?” Warmaster Dal'shan crinkled his nose to signal his opinion.

“Why wouldn't I?” Jha'dur glanced up from the bowl of cooked meat resting on her lap, the brothy concoction still steaming a little. “Perfectly good food.”

“You've been a Warmaster for over two decades now. You are allowed, no, expected, to eat food that doesn't come in a can. We have chefs you know, some of them rather good.”

“Food is food, it keeps you alive.” She shrugged. “I never had much cause for all the social niceties around shared meals. You eat fast or you don't eat at all.”

“I suppose so.” Dal'shan exhaled. “We grew up in very different worlds didn't we?”

“Yet we both ended up in the same place.” She quickly finished the bowl. “The past is what it is, I've never sought pity for a hard childhood. I wasn't the only one to endure it, I wasn't the only one to survive it either.

“Still, that canned stuff can't be good for you.”

“Since we fixed Rohric's environmental issues it's probably the best meat you'll find.” Jha'dur set the bowl aside. “Besides there is merit in remembering where one came from.”

“Did you see the report from your Minbari friend?” Dal'shan altered the topic.

“Ah yes. So they didn’t make Sineval Shai Alyt?” Jha’dur broke out in a brief peel of laughter. “I suppose my theory was right, there is such a thing as an intelligent Minbari.”

Dal’shan grunted in sympathetic amusement. “Looking at the data my brother brought back you wouldn’t think it.”

“Hmm, I’ve been waiting all week for this. Show me.”

Dal’shan walked over to the screen in Jha’dur’s living room, pressing a control which closed the curtains and activated the display.

“The sensors apparently worked fine, despite being first generation examples.” Dal’shan slotted a data crystal into the port. “Earth allowed us a copy of the data after making sure it didn’t reveal any of their secrets.”

He activated the system and sat back down beside Jha’dur, both of them watching the brief Battle of Cyrus with a critical eye.

“Initial deployments are cautious on both sides.” She noted. “Very linear, very straight forward.”

They watched as the initial salvos were exchanged, grimacing slightly as the Minbari effortlessly sliced through the human ships.

“It took our best ships multiple strikes to bring down Earth vessels. I knew Minbari guns were superior to ours but never by how much.” Jha’dur shook her head. “This gives us a direct comparison.”

“Their primary weapons are neutron cannons.” Dal’shan noted, pointing out energy bursts. “Very good at piercing armour but tightly contained.”

“Like a scalpel.” The female Warmaster reckoned. “Worthless in orbital bombardments, it isn’t going to create any area of effect damage.”

“Which is where these come in, anti matter conversion beams.”

Jha’dur watched in interest as the Minbari finished off the last of the fleet in spectacular style.

“Alright, I’ll be honest and say I really want one of those guns.”

“Perhaps you can make a request from your crusty benefactors?” Dal’shan suggested, referencing the Drakh.

She huffed a harsh laugh.

“If it were only that easy.”

“Are they here now?”

“No, I use the same system of energy fields here as we installed in the Council rooms and high command. Prevent our little friends from sneaking in where they aren’t wanted.”

“Are they wanted anywhere?”

“Fair point.” Jha’dur accepted. “They are a necessary evil. Hell, that should be our motto.”

“Many believe it was fate. Some race was going to be exterminated in our war and another race would rise from obscurity to become a galactic power.”

“Pity Earth ended up as the new super power and not us.” Jha’dur shrugged. “Still, at least we swapped places with the Alacans for the whole extinction business.”

“Perhaps it was for the best, holding the League with Omelos gone would have been incredibly difficult.” Dal’shan suggested. “Fate may have been kinder to us than we understand.”

“If you believe in that sort of thing.” Jha’dur rewatched the battle. “I prefer to be more proactive in deciding my fate.”

“Earth fought well, they adapted tactics, they were ready to take losses. They just had no idea.” The male Warmaster observed.

“Neither did we until seeing this.” Jha’dur agreed. “It was vitally important we saw how the Minbari fought in a major battle. Sineval was all bluster and the Drakh wouldn’t tell me a thing. Now we have our own answers.”

“We can adapt our tactics appropriately.” Dal’shan confirmed. “The Minbari are the greatest threat, if we can fight them we can fight anyone.”

“Which makes these observations very important.” Jha’dur nodded. “The humans fought exactly as we would have done in their place, they will use tactics similar to us. By watching this war we can see how a Dilgar Minbari war would go, observe how the Minbari would adapt to fight us. It saves us a great deal of worry and pain in the future.”

She paused the video as the Earth fleet collapsed again.

“The Minbari are archaic. They had the human fleet flanked on all sides but their attack ships held back.” She observed. “They should have folded in and hit the humans from all sides. The battle would have ended in half the time. Why didn’t they?”

“My guess, orders.” Dal’shan said. “They probably had instructions to secure the flanks while the main fleet handled the EA capital ships. When they finished their task they just held position until ordered otherwise.”

“I think so too. No initiative, no freedom to innovate, too much reliance on central control.” Jha’dur considered. “What if the commander is someone like Sineval? That much power in such clumsy hands would be devastating if they run into a powerful enemy. I doubt any Minbari would refuse orders, even if they knew it was suicidally stupid.”

“Presumably this is why Sineval is not in charge.”

“He said they picked Branmer, it is not a name I am familiar with.” Jha'dur briefly searched her mind.

“How much information do you have on the Minbari?”

“Just Sineval and some basics from the Drakh.” She shook her head. “I tried to send a Spectre home with our bone headed friend but their sensors are better than our stealth gear.”

“So this war is a potential goldmine for us.”

“The Minbari have begun deploying ground forces and have sent out scout ships. I think we can go in there and capture the odd scout or recon team, bring them back here for processing.”

“It holds risk.”

“So does doing nothing.” Jha’dur argued. “We need to test our abilities in a controlled environment, see if our ships are capable of taking on the best. Watching Earth fight gives us a broad idea of things, but we need specifics.”

“What have the Drakh said?”

“They didn’t ask.” She smiled. “Salasine likes to think he knows everything, that I am on his side. Necessary evil.”

“They are playing us you know.”

“Of course.” Jha’dur confirmed. “They drip feed us technology, enough so we survive but still rely on them. They withhold what we really need, the ability to strengthen our infrastructure and stand on our own two feet. I’ve been studying them intensely, the Centauri have significant archives on the Drakh from the time of the Orieni war. They see themselves as puppet masters and no doubt think we are their next little toys.”

“While we are surrounded by enemies like this we appear to have little choice.”

“We need an alternative, someone else we can use instead of the Drakh.” Jha’dur reasoned. “What we need is a friend in the galaxy.”

“The Narn are very keen to be our friends.”

“And we are glad to work with them, most of our trade goes to the Narn.” Jha’dur agreed. “Especially as Emperor Turhan seems to dislike us. But the Narn are fair weather friends, they seek to gain something from us and if they decide we are worth more dead then their policy will change.”

“The Minbari?”

“I thought so. Granted I can’t stand them, they’re either boring or just full of hot air, but their technology is equal or better than the Drakh and elements of their warrior caste seem to have a fascination with us. I managed to secure a few devices in exchange for offering them parts of my research, but we need more.”

“Open political support for instance.”

“Exactly.” She nodded. “Which leads us to one inescapable conclusion. Our best chance for future independence and survival is the nation that put us in this position in the first place. Earth.”

“Thank the gods we all have a sense of humour.”

“Ari has asked to go back as a full time observer.” Jha’dur mentioned. “I think he has earned Earth’s grudging trust.”

“He doesn’t know any of our dealings, if he is scanned by a telepath he’ll walk away clean.” Dal’shan affirmed. “He’ll be fine.”

“Not worried for your brother Dal?”

“Sometimes I think he’d prefer life on Earth to here.” Dal’shan smiled sadly. “Perhaps we should let him?”

“He is tarnished by the reputation our race holds, a reputation I helped create. It will be a long time before that is forgotten. “ she offered a shrug. “Maybe it should start with him.”

Proxima System

EA Space.

The mothball yard was a sight to behold, located away from the main shipping lanes few outside the military had ever seen it. Contained within laid out in neat lines were literally thousands of warships, designs going back to the first days of the Earth Alliance as a space going force. It was a visual history of the Navy, like rings in a tree marking each stage of growth. From ancient Orestes and Tethys class ships which predated first contact with the Centauri right up to more modern ships completed after the Dilgar war. These were the vessels Earth did not need but did not wish to scrap in case they proved themselves useful in the future. Apparently that wisdom was going to pay off.

At the closest edge of the silent fleet was a relatively small space station, a white metal ring rotating on the end of a long skeletal structure used to monitor the array of vessels. It was mainly an administration post and sensor station, while unlikely it would be embarrassing if one or two of these ships went missing.

“Ten credits say our job is to supervise the reactivation order.” Commander Kawoo pressed her nose against the glass of the approaching shuttle. “I think my soul died a little.”

“It’s vital work.”

“It’s a demotion.” The Korean exhaled.

“Maybe we should be thankful.” Black remarked. “This is out of harms way, Beta Durani is almost certainly going to get hit, and after what we did to their vanguard they’ll be going in there with a vengeance.”

“You really think that way Captain? You’d really prefer to be here rather than on the front lines?”

“Well…” Black began before scoffing a laugh. “Not really. Beta Prime was mine, we should be the ones preparing the defence.”

Helena Black was a career officer, a veteran of the Dilgar war with a spotless service record and a colourful bunch of medals. She had commanded an Artemis class Frigate in the war acting as part of a wolf pack, operating deep behind Dilgar lines ambushing supply convoys and light warships. Her moment of glory had come when her squadron was ambushed by a heavy Pentacan build around a Mishakur Dreadnought, the standard heavy weight battleship of the Dilgar navy. Despite heavy odds she had managed to destroy the dreadnought with a few well placed rail gun rounds, then disabled two more cruisers while covering for her other ships to escape. It had earned her the Medal of honour and a promotion to Commander, followed shortly after by command of a brand new Hecate class battlecruiser.

After the war Black continued to patrol Earth’s borders earning promotion to Captain along the way. She earned a few more commendations during minor skirmishes and raider hunting before taking the job commanding Beta Prime. It was a simple stepping stone job, run the station for a few years and earn a promotion to General and a nice little Task Force in the League, but of course the Minbari had rather neatly torpedoed that plan.

Both officers remained silent as their transport docked in the primitive base, run down and blank even by human standards. It was only sparsely manned, most of the crew presumably firing up the ships outside.

“Captain Black, Commander Kawoo.” A male voice greeted them. “Welcome to Proxima, glad you were able to make it on time.”

Both at once snapped to attention.

“Reporting as ordered sir.”

“Stand easy.” General Alexei Denisov allowed. “We’ve got a lot of business, follow me, sooner we get this done faster we can be on our way.”

The two arrivals shared a look then followed the General, suddenly not quite aware what was going on.

“The Joint Chiefs haven’t stopped talking about that little trick you pulled, they are impressed.” Denisov told them as they left the docking bay. “You’ll be glad to know the beacons were reactivated in a test though we plan to keep them off for now.”

“Thank you sir.” Black responded. “So the Joint Chiefs approve of the tactic?”

“We’re looking to implement it alliance wide, selective deactivation of key beacons and laying false trails to nowhere. Anything to keep the Minbari guessing.” Denisov answered. “After what you did they won’t trust the beacons anymore, they’ll have to bring their own and map their own routes. That will slow them down a lot and buy us time to organise a stronger defence.”

Denisov had been chairman of the Joint Chiefs during the Dilgar War and was largely responsible for overall Earth strategy. His actions were considered a tremendous success and he was generally credited with introducing Earth Force to the galaxy as a force to be reckoned with. He had stepped aside from the top job not long after to run the EA Academy before changing jobs again a few years ago and accepting command of the strategically important inner systems defence sector. In that capacity Denisov commanded Proxima and Orion colonies and had authority on any fleet assigned to defend it. In addition to their civilian populations and extensive trading both systems also maintained large ship yards and other vital strategic facilities making their defence paramount to the success of the war. Fortunately in General Denisov they had a man equal to the task.

“With respect sir I think it’s time we learned our new assignment.” Black stated calmly, getting a little tired of the mystery.

“You are quite forward Captain.” The old Ukrainian smiled. “Very well, you deserve a clear answer. I bet you thought you were going to be given a desk to command didn’t you?”

“The thought had occurred sir.”

“Not at all. Your tactic was unorthodox and spur of the moment but also within the best traditions of innovation and initiative of the Force.” He reached into his pocket and tossed Black a badge. “You’re getting a promotion, congratulations.”

She examined the badge, it was similar to the thin gold bar she wore below the enamel EA symbol on her chest, but this one had the addition of a silver star in the centre showing her promotion to a staff level officer.

“We’re making you a Flag Captain.” Denisov informed. “I’d have preferred to give you a shoulder star and make you a full Commodore but bureaucracy. We’ll handle it later.”

He brought them to a video screen and activated it, typing in his codes to bring up an image of a section of the mothball yards.

“And that Captain is your new command.”

The image showed a small group of Nova Dreadnoughts, the one closest to the camera was distinctive in design. It still had ranks of guns but these were different, instead of the titanic laser/pulse cannons that the standard Nova carried this ship mounted rail guns. Each barrel was much smaller in calibre, appearing as long thin sticks compared to the more familiar stout barrels of the regular Nova, but thanks to their size were mounted four guns to a turret instead of just two.

“The Warspite.” Black smiled widely. “A Rail Nova? I thought the idea was unsuccessful?”

“More they were inefficient.” Denisov corrected. “We found that with Dreadnought reactors we could give a ship a huge battery of rail guns and plenty of punch, each one of those guns has four times the punch of an Artemis. Compared to a standard Nova they have much better armour penetration but cause less blast damage, so in other words you can blow holes in just about anything but they’re going to be pretty small holes.”

Denisov pulled back on the image, giving a wider angle.

“We were testing these at the same time as the Nova Beta, the Pulse cannon armed ships, and we decided we didn’t need both. The pulse cannons cause more general damage and while the rail guns are harder hitting as a rule we decided it was overkill, nothing is standing up to thirty six capital grade pulse cannons firing five rounds per second. Coupled with the fact the pulse cannons draw fuel from the same source as the engines it also simplified our logistics. Shipping fresh ammunition for our rail gun ships in the last war was a massive headache.”

“I remember going into action with only half my magazines filled most of the time.” Black nodded. “So has Earth changed it’s mind?”

“Not really, the Nova Beta is still our primary heavy ship. Analysis shows it is capable of killing the biggest known Minbari ship if we can get a solid lock. However we are activating every vessel fit for service and these Nova Delta series ships pack a hell of a punch. Seventy two twenty one inch rail guns, we’d be fools to discard that sort of firepower.”

“Understood sir, are you assigning me to command one?”

“Actually Captain I’m giving you all five.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Five sir?”

“And five Hyperion Delta series too as escort.” Denisov clarified with obvious glee at her reaction. “Task Force 91, obviously based on rail gun armed ships. Based on your experience with frigate wolf packs in the last war I want you to do the same on a grander scale. Ammunition shouldn’t be a problem this close to home, we’re already starting up the production lines again to give you plenty of rounds, all different types. Missiles won’t be a problem either so don’t go easy on the ordnance.”

“Understood sir. Thank you for this chance.”

“You saw what happened at Cyrus Captain.” Denisov aid grimly. “You know what taking the Minbari head on looks like. We need to try and soften them up before another attack, look for vulnerabilities and hit them hard. After losing their initial force they will be bringing in more ships, our plan is to raid Cyrus colony and try to sow some havoc in their rear echelon.”

“I’m ready to take a shot at them sir, but it might not be pretty. Even with such a heavy raiding force just a trace of Minbari Heavy ships could give us hell.”

“We have two solutions to that. First the tech boys believe they have a system to break the Minbari jammers that were so effective in our last battle. With that system broken you can engage the Minbari effectively at standard combat ranges, which of course are quite long for rail gun armed ships.”

“How did we break their stealth systems so quickly sir?”

“That information is classified.” Denisov returned frankly. “Second you will be going in with another two forces. Fifth Cruiser Squadron under Captain Hague, and the Ninth Dreadnought Division.”

“The Jolly Rogers.” Kawoo grined. “Jungle Joe.”

“That would be Vice Admiral Joe Tennant of the Nemesis to you Commander.” Denisov half smiled. “Until he gives you permission otherwise. He’s supervising a refit to his ships, next room over. You should go introduce yourself.”

Unlike the rest of the station the adjoining room was notably busy, technicians leaning over consoles and rushing back and forth with various data pads and sheets of paper. Among them were a few officers looking over the information, presumably the commanders of the respective ships in the force. Among yhem standing clearly taller was a gigantic Maori, by now middle aged with his black hair mostly grey but still apparently strong enough to uproot trees and hit people with them.

“Are you sure this stuff is safe?” The Maori asked firmly. “Are you one hundred percent certain that installing this stuff in my ship isn’t going to make her go all weird? Because I have standards, only the best sets foot on my ship.”

“It won’t be a problem sir, the EIA have installed a breaker between the new sensors and your old systems…”

“Old systems? Did you just suggest my ship was old?”

“Your… existing systems sir.”

“Better, she gets very sensitive about her age. You know how girls get, she is a bit highly strung.”

“Yes sir, right sir.” The technician humoured the large man. “It will automatically isolate the system if anything unusual happens, your ship will be quite safe.”

“I’ll be happy if it works, kind of like giving my girl X-Ray specs. Actually now I think about it that is pretty cool. Let me know when you are done.”

He turned to greet the two new officers with a broad smile.

“Joe Tennant, you must the girls from Beta Prime?”

“Yes sir.”

“You basically turned off all the lights in hyperspace when the Minbari were passing a black hole right?” He checked. “So they either got lost in hyperspace or jumped into the black hole?”

“That was the plan, yes sir. We estimate eighty ships killed, including twenty Cruisers.” Black offered a smile. “Almost the entire fleet from Cyrus.”

“I can tell you honestly it brought a tear of manly joy to my eye when I heard that.” Tennant congratulated. “That level of deviousness and inventiveness in killing the enemy is why you are here. I put in the request to have you assigned to this mission.”

Black smiled. “Thank you sir, I’ve always wanted a Dreadnought command.”

“Now you’ve got five, plus another five cruisers. I think I have a good officer to command them for you. Heard of Bill Hague?”

“Not that much sir.”

“He’s a solid man, good thinker, good tactician. I’ll introduce you later.” Tennant promised. “We have two Task Forces, ninety one under you and fifty four under me, plus I’ll take overall command of the operation.”

“Understood sir.”

“This is a highly aggressive unit Captain, we don’t mess around. We prefer to get up close and personal with our enemies, make sure we can put maximum fire on our targets. Every Captain is hand picked here, we are the best in the Force, I know you won’t let us down.”

“No sir, I think I've set the bar for Minbari kills pretty high.” Black returned with an amused glance.

“Oh you’re going to be trouble.” Tennant grinned. “I like trouble. You know my command of course, the example she sets?”

“Everyone knows the Nemesis sir, top scoring warship of the Dilgar war.”

“The Lady Nemesis is eager to get to grips with the Minbari, we used to operate with Admiral Thornhill back in the day so we’re taking this personally. Lady Nemesis has a real bad temper, anger management issues, I don’t think she got enough love when she was getting built.”

“So I understand sir. I saw the cartoon on one of the networks a few years ago, Travels with a Space Lady or something.”

“Yeah, they made her into a cartoon, quite a celebrity.” Tennant grinned. “Talking starships and stuff, really cute. I liked the episode where she helped that Narn cruiser with a broken engine, got it like a crutch or something, really sweet. Not realistic of course, but I guess kids don’t want to see a cartoon starship slaughtering other cartoon ships and painting its naked body in their blood. That’s more how Lady Nemesis rolls.”

“I can understand that sir.”

“Once we’ve finished refitting these sensors to all ships we’ll test them out.” Tenant informed. “I suggest you meet your crews, we won’t have long to get acquainted but they are professionals, you’ll have no trouble with them.”

“We’ll get on it sir.”

“One more thing.” Tennant paused them. “Do you know why I know this team is going to be so good?”

“Why sir?”

“Because your name is Captain Black, you were born to be a pirate like the rest of us.” Tennant grinned widely. “Who better to serve under the Jolly Roger? You’re going to fit in here perfectly Captain, let me know when you are ready to depart, sooner the better, we have to try and improve on that kill count of yours!”


	6. Chapter 6

6

Minbari Battleship Sword of Valen

Approaching Jericho Colony

EA Space.

Branmer was fascinated by hyperspace, amazed that something so bleak could be so active, so full of motion and light. He knew that there was a lot of mythology built up here, a lot of legends about what lurked off the beacons. Some races spoke of creatures and hidden treasures, of entire civilisations living quietly in the infinite tumult. The Minbari were an old race, they had been in space for over a thousand years yet they only had the very barest knowledge of what really lay in the depths and what might be out there even now, watching them.

There was a rumour that one could see the future in hyperspace, that if one stared at it long enough they would receive a vision. Branmer had never experienced that and most cases he had heard of were more likely nausea caused by the motion, but he did admit there was a sort of timeless quality to it. Where most people got sick looking at hyperspace Branmer found it calming and fascinating. A reminder of the wonder that existed everywhere.

“Shai Alyt?”

It took a moment to recognise that he was being addressed. The title was still quite novel to him.

“You must be Neroon.” He deduced, not needing to turn around.

“Yes Shai Alyt.” The voice continued. “The elders have assigned me as your aide and guard.”

“My guard Neroon?”

“I mean no insult, nor to suggest you cannot guard yourself.” His companion quickly clarified. “But it was felt that in the event of human forces boarding this ship you required extra protection.”

“And you are the finest duellist in the Clan.” Branmer recalled. “Do you believe we will be boarded?”

“It is highly unlikely, but there is wisdom in taking precautions.”

That made Branmer grin.

“Wisdom indeed, I think I recognise why the elders picked you. Step into the circle Neroon, tell me what you see.”

Neroon was in his thirties, old enough to have proven himself but young enough so he could still learn without pride or ego getting in the way. Branmer knew Neroon was spoken of highly by the clan elders, one of the rare few who had mastered the martial arts but also displayed a sharp mind and ambition. He was already being promoted as a future Satai of the Council after he learned more of the galaxy.

“Hyperspace, about half an hour from our target.” Neroon answered Branmer.

“You spoke of precautions. Tell me what precautions we have taken?”

“We are using our own beacons that cannot be turned off.” Neroon listed. “Thereby ensuring we will not suffer the same fate as our over enthusiastic vanguard fleet. The beacons were laid by our scouts and are guarded, they are considered vital assets.”

“What about our target?”

“Jericho colony. Scouts report the planet is largely deserted, the humans have fled.”

“Why are we taking it?”

“To secure the flanks of our advance on Beta Durani, the main transit hub in this sector.”

“Very good Neroon, you have clearly read my orders well.”

“Thank you Shai Alyt.”

“Now I need your opinion, your personal opinion.” Branmer asked. “Do not tell me what you think I want to hear, do not assume formality. When I ask you a question I demand the truth even if you do not think I will like it.”

“I understand.”

“What do you think of my strategy?”

It was a test. Branmer was confident in his assessment of the war but he wanted to make sure Neroon knew what he was talking about. Sineval had been vehemently against Branmer’s new plan for the war which of course just served to tell Branmer he was right.

“Your strategy is cautious, slow.” Neroon analysed. “Securing our path as we advance along it, not simply rushing into a fight.”

“Such a slow advance allows the humans to flee from us, to preserve their forces.”

“Only for so long.” Neroon answered. “They will have to make a stand somewhere, defend a location of vital interest, even if it takes until we reach their homeworld. Eventually they will fight, until then we can content ourselves with seizing their worlds.”

Branmer nodded in approval.

“Very good Neroon. We hold the initiative and we are deciding the pace of this war. Well for now at least. I anticipate the humans will attempt to hold Beta Durani, that will be our first real test.”

“Based on our information it will be no real challenge.”

“Be careful with assumptions Neroon, things can change in the blink of an eye. We know little of humanity, to assume we can accurately predict them with so little information is dangerous.”

“They have hurt us only through deception and trickery, their success is not a matter of human skill, simply a case of them taking advantage of our weakness.”

Branmer raised a curious eyebrow, his beard twitching as he smiled.

“Explain further Neroon.”

“The Black Star was destroyed by human weapons, but the true reason it was lost is pride. Likewise the Vanguard fleet was overconfident, too blinded by the ease of its initial victory and seeking to heap further glory on itself. This is why so many decry the loss of these forces, they recognise the truth but cannot accept their failings. It is easier to blame humans than to accept that we were at fault.”

“And because we cannot allow it be thought the humans are superior warriors to our greatest ship and crew we label them tricksters and deceivers to further nurse our wounded pride at simply failing to treat our enemy with respect.” Branmer concurred. “I am impressed Neroon, this is clearly why you are here beside me.”

The younger warrior bowed his head at the praise.

“Your command of history is well known Shai Alyt, we all have faith it will translate into success in battle.”

“You can see the truth for what it is Neroon, you can see the flaws in our fleet as I do. A good commander must ensure not only that the enemy is defeated but that his own forces are preserved, and that means knowing our weaknesses so you may guard them.”

“And that is where the Windswords fail, they do not acknowledge their failings and so cannot protect them.” Neroon recognised. “Which is why they must not be placed in command of anything larger than a guard post.”

“You will find no disagreement from me.” Branmer gave a brief nod. “Valen said that in many cases war is politics by other means, this one is no different. As we have military objectives so too do we have political objectives.”

“We have no political aims for the humans, so that goal must be within our own government.” Neroon considered. “Do you seek to use this war to diminish the power of the Windswords?”

“That is exactly my objective. They are reckless, foolish, arrogant. They can fight well but they cannot lead.” Branmer confirmed. “Better to remove them now while we have this opportunity than to do so later when the Shadows fall upon us and the need is greater.”

“You have my support Shai Alyt, and my discretion.”

“Good. We can use this as a chance to restructure our forces and ensure the Star riders ascend to prominence once again. But we must not discount the humans. The Dilgar underestimated them and paid dearly, the Windswords underestimated them and paid dearly. We will not.”

They were alerted to a change in circumstances by a recurring chime, drawing their attention to the enclosing holographic displays.

“Ah yes, I was expecting this.” Branmer parted a smile. “There.”

“What is it?” Neroon squinted, trying to make something out in the haze.

“Human reconnaissance probes. They are waiting for us.”

“Your orders Shai Alyt?”

“Proceed to Jericho, double check our deployment, make sure we have plenty of fighters guarding the perimeter.”

“At once.”

“It is almost certain we will have to fight within the next few minutes, make sure all ships are fully prepared.” Branmer commanded. “Arm the missiles, we will use them first. They are less likely to be disrupted by gravity than our beam weapons. Tighten the frigate screen and decrease speed. Reaction times will be short, I will need all warriors at their best.”

“You will have nothing less Shai Alyt.”

“Watch those sensors closely Neroon, very closely. The humans are out there.”

The younger warrior obeyed, looking closely for hints of movement, the powerful sensor systems on the cruiser seeking targets. They highlighter areas on the flowing display that could be contacts drawing them to Neroon’s attention, letting him assess each location in turn.

“There is too much interference, they could be anywhere, or nowhere.”

“They are out there.” Branmer assured. “They know that in hyperspace they have a chance, their last attack cost us more ships than we lost at Cyrus even before they turned off the beacons. They will attempt to recreate that success.”

“Fighter patrols have not detected anything.”

“Don’t wait for the reports, ask yourself where you would be in their position.”

Neroon frowned. “How do I think like a human?”

“Don’t. Just do as you would do if you faced a superior enemy. Some concepts are universal and intelligent strategy is one of them.”

“Well I would be off the beacon as much as possible. Not too close to the colony but not far away either. Probably close to an area of natural instability for greater concealment.”

“Like the gravitational incline over there?” Branmer suggested.

“That would be a prime location, yes.”

“My thoughts exactly, I have already arranged our formation to meet an attack from that direction.”

“We will pass by shortly.”

“Then we will see if your insight was correct.”

Neroon found himself feeling surprisingly tense. It wasn’t the potential battle he was concerned with, it was whether or not Branmer would approve of his judgement. This was a clear test of his strategy, Neroon was a superb combatant but had never commanded a sizeable military force before. Branmer’s patronage could make or break him, if the Shai Alyt labelled him a fool or too inexperienced it would set back his goals by years, perhaps permanently.

“Possible movement.” Neroon remarked. “Fighter patrols have something.”

He checked the data, the scout fighters emerging to find themselves face to face with a dozen human warships.

“Contact, enemy warships!” Neroon called with as much relief as anything else, happy to at least have passed the test.

“Long range missiles, open fire.” Branmer ordered. “All stop, target that location and engage.”

The leading elements of the fleet came to a relative halt keeping the range fairly open, turning to face the newly discovered threat. With their cover blown the EA ships advanced, a few fighter squadrons engaging the Nial units with moderate success. The long grey hulls of several cruisers and a pair of dreadnoughts emerged from the mists, a significant threat if they managed to get close enough.

“Missiles having a hard time tracking.” Neroon informed.

“Slave them to our sensors, guide them in from here.” Branmer ordered.

The EA vessels opened fire, the Dreadnoughts unleashing a massive storm of gunfire. The vast majority of it missed which was extremely fortunate, even for such primitive vessels Neroon had to admit the display was mesmerising.

“Look for calm areas in the gravitic currents.” Branmer gestured. “If you fire across the tides the distortions will bend our Neutron beams. Fire through the calm areas only, wait for the right moment.”

The EA ships were too far away and not closing fast enough, their ambush sprung too early by Branmer’s scouts. The initial volleys from both sides missed by miles, twisted and distorted by hyperspace. Branmer remained utterly unmoved by the approaching warships, well aware that every mile, every second, reduced his advantage and gave Earth a better chance of inflicting damage.

“Missiles are approaching enemy ships.” Neroon reported. “Impact.”

Striking from different angles and small enough to be hidden by the violent nature of hyperspace until the last second the antimatter missiles struck home, detonating with furious power. Normally they would have broken up the human ships with little difficulty, but here with their power enhanced by hyperspace the devastation was total. Both dreadnoughts and all but one of the cruisers were destroyed instantly in titanic explosions, only the rearmost Hyperion reacting swiftly enough to shoot down the projectiles racing toward it.

“Impressive point defences on that last ship.” Branmer accepted.

“We have a break in the distortions.” Neroon stated. “Firing.”

The flagship fired on the last cruiser, the single beam from its bow gun cutting the engine block from the human ship. It at once started drifting, carried on the tides.

“She’s drifting off beacon, in a few seconds she’ll be lost to the ages.”

“Finish her off.”

Neroon glanced over.

“Shai Alyt, they condemned many of our brothers and sisters to this fate. Why should we not do the same?”

“Because I intend to fight with honour and dignity.” Branmer answered flatly. “They tried to fight us, that takes courage and we should acknowledge that with a swift death by our hand, not by starvation in hyperspace. Open fire.”

Neroon obeyed, ordering the ship to engage again, blasting the drifting hulk to scrap.

“We have accepted responsibility for this war, for killing the humans.” Branmer said. “So we will kill them, their blood will be on our hands not abandoned to fate. This is the war we have been given, it is bloody and brutal and it will make any decent Minbari lay awake at night. War is death, not glory, so we will kill and accept the blackness in our souls.”

“We are approaching the colony.” Neroon said quietly, considering the statement. “Shall I order the attack?”

“That is why we are here.” Branmer exhaled. “Initiate jump, deploy to envelope the planet, target military facilities only. We are warriors and will kill only those who take up arms against us. When the war is over and only the human young and infirm are left, their fate will not be an act of war. I don’t know what it will be, this is not what I expected.”

“The Council has given us our purpose Shai Alyt. To the death.”

“Perhaps more will die than just the humans in this war, perhaps something of ourselves will die also.” The older Warrior reflected. “Activate jump engines, take is in Neroon. For our duty.”

Edges of Cyrus Colony.

“There it is again.” Alyt Giredd frowned. “Same narrow band transmission, out beyond the edge of the fifth planet.”

“Our sensors indicate a dense asteroid field trailing the fifth planet’s orbit.” A voice from the bridge informed. “It would be a good hiding place for a human spy ship.”

“Of a hidden base.” Giredd considered. “We need to investigate.”

“Shall I send a fighter Alyt?”

“No, if there is a ship or base there I wish the honour of destroying it myself.”

“It could be a trap sir, the humans could have mines in the asteroids.”

That made Giredd pause a moment for thought.

“We will advance slowly, we do not wish to follow the fate of the Black Star. Bring our escorts too, make sure they are scanning for danger.”

With most of the fleet heading to Jericho Cyrus colony was only lightly defended with no more than a dozen ships, only five of them Sharlin cruisers. Branmer had surveyed the system and at this time decided it needed nothing more, there were only about thirty cargo ships in the system and a fairly small force of soldiers on the planet, the plan to turn Cyrus into a major forward base had not yet been implemented.

Giredd considered that fortunate. If there was a human spy ship it was good fortune to discover it this early. The outer worlds had been swept to look for human bases but clearly the check had not been thorough enough. He would certainly be mentioning that to his clan elders.

“Moving into orbit.” His staff informed. “Scanning for mines.”

He had two Sharlins and a trio of Tinashi frigates under his command, a very powerful force but still less than the fleet Starkiller had tricked a few weeks earlier. People were outraged of course, but there was also a lot of talk about where the blame really lay. The fact that the Star riders were now running the war spoke volumes.

“I think I have the target, a small freighter.”

“Any traps?”

“Nothing, no metallic contacts apart from the ship.”

“Is it running?”

“No Alyt, it is just sitting there.”

He immedieately tensed.

“Keep our distance, scan it thoroughly.”

“Holding position. Scans show normal… wait, I can detect no life signs.”

“An automated ship? Why?”

He didn’t have to wait for an answer.

Behind his small force at point blank range a jump point opened, the two flanking Frigates simply ceasing to exist as gravitic energy turned them to vapour and atoms. A fraction of a second later the vortex burst open, ripping Giredd’s ship to pieces and tearing the fins from the second Sharlin, both mighty vessels shoved aside in flames bleeding debris.

From the bright blue swirl of the dimensional tunnel a grim looking shape emerged, unlovely and armed with massed ranks of giant cannons that were already swung out to point right, the rectangular warship cruising behind the broken fleet at point blank range. The warship wasted no time, barraging the surviving Tinashi with a ridiculous volume of particle pulses, hammering the smaller ship remorselessly and overwhelmingly. It died before it could even turn around or lock its aft facing weapons. The other ships were even easier, the crippled Sharlin was disposed of first, with Giredd’s fractured command ship dealt with last just to make very sure it was dead.

The dark grey vessel cruised past the wreckage, realigning its guns as the vortex closed and left it cast in the shadow of the nearby planet, allowing it survey its handiwork in silence. The warship was old and bore many scars, its hull showing the repairs and wounds of a veteran ship. Most notably at its bow where most ships had a formation letter indicating their sector fleet, this ship proudly wore a skull and crossbones.

“Damn me if that wasn’t the best entrance anyone has ever made!” Admiral Tennant enthused merrily. “I wish I could have seen that guy’s face when we showed up, ISN could have put it on the galaxy’s funniest videos.”

“Yes sir.” The long suffering Captain Simon Anderson replied from the First Officer’s station. “Sensors show enemy fleet completely destroyed.”

“Did you actually doubt otherwise?” Tennant asked. “This is the Lady Nemesis Simon, if you try to look her name up in a dictionary all you’ll find is a burning hole in the pages.”

“Indeed sir.” He answered simply.

“You know Simon I’m starting to get the impression that maybe you don’t want to be here?”

“Well I was quite happily retired sir.” He admitted. “I was commanding a liner on the Saturn tourist route.”

“You were a hotel manager in space Simon, you should be thanking me and the Lady for rescuing you from a lifetime of playing shuffle board and listening to old people snore.”

“Still, with the Minbari on the loose I suppose it was inevitable we’d all be reactivated.” The XO exhaled.

“At least you got a promotion out of it.” Tennant pointed out. “And think of all the anecdotes you’ll have.”

“Yes sir, clearly it will all be worth it in the end.” He dead panned.

“What’s the word on the sensors?”

“Worked as advertised, they locked on past Minbari stealth, they were accurate enough to pinpoint our jump directly into the enemy formation, and they didn’t melt the mainframe.”

“I suppose that is phase two of the test complete.” Tennant resolved. “Give the go order to the other ships, then break orbit and engage targets of opportunity.”

“Aye sir, sending the signal.”

“Then enter this in the log.” Tennant cleared his throat. “One. Test of Minbari type jump point attack huge success. Two. Have introduced Minbari society to the concept of irony. That is all.”

The word was sent into hyperspace, the other nineteen ships of Tennant’s Task Force spinning up their engines and using data from the nemesis to plot their specific jump points. As they did so the Nemesis herself cleared the asteroid field and emerged from the shadow of the planet with violent intent, cruising past the Minbari wrecks as she found herself gleaming angrily in the distant sunlight.

“Engines are at flank, Minbari forces have seen us and are deploying to engage.” Anderson reported. “Firing range in three minutes.”

“Feed that information to our ships, keep them updated.” Tennant ordered.

“Aye sir, battlenet is active, they should be seeing what we are seeing.”

“Weapons status?”

“Laser cannons fully armed and ready to fire, pulse cannons fully armed and ready to fire.” The XO informed. “Firing solutions are plotted for mixed salvo fire, alternating between laser and pulses.”

“Very good Captain, be ready to break out your tap shoes because we’re going to be dancing on a lot of graves after this.”

“Shall we launch fighters sir?”

“No, I want us out of here in five minutes.” Tennant shook his head. “Recovery will take too long. One high speed pass, kill everything, then home. The Lady Nemesis love tap.”

“Love tap sir?”

“Of course! Just because my girl is the leading cause of spontaneous Dilgar combustion doesn’t mean she hasn’t got feelings. She is really very sensitive.”

“Sir, what’s sensitive about fifty million tons of very heavily armed metal?”

“Oh, oh you better apologise for that.” Tennant warned. “I know it’s the heat of battle but you should be careful.”

“Sir…”

“Remember the last time you said Lady Nemesis was just a ship and then you got stuck in a lift for eighteen hours? Just saying.”

“It’s a chance I’ll take sir. Approaching firing range.”

“Alright, tell the rest of the fleet to jump.”

“Signal outgoing.”

“Then order the gun crews to engage at will, if they called Johnnie Sheridan Starkiller I can’t wait to hear what they’ll call us.”

The Minbari ships had not seen the fate of their comrades, all they knew was that a Minbari squadron had gone behind the planet and an Earth Force dreadnought had come out. That was reason enough to deploy for action, aligning themselves to confront the human warship. Their deployment did display a hint of caution, they placed their best ships in the centre with their escorts on the flanks to watch for danger, but they could not predict exactly what was coming.

Several jump points formed in the midst of the Minbari warships, crushing some, shredding others, flinging others still in random directions as reality tore. The Minbari fleet dissolved at once and what few ships were not destroyed or disabled in the first moments were pulverised by the emerging cruisers and Dreadnoughts.

“Warspite to Nemesis, entry point clear.”

“Captain Black, welcome to the party.” Tennant approved. “We’ve spiked the drinks, blocked the toilet and thrown the television into the pool. Now it’s time to really trash this place.”

“I make thirty eight Minbari freighters, looking at the returns fully loaded.” Black announced. “I guess the sensors work.”

“They aren’t jump capable.” Tennant checked the same data. “Not much of a challenge for my girl.”

“Want us to take them all?”

“I didn’t say that.” Tennant chuckled. “Lady Nemesis also enjoys a little recreational murder. We’ll take the left flank, you take the right. Kill everything and jump out.”

“Yes sir.”

“And Captain, my compliments on your enthusiasm.”

The two Dreadnought groups lined up and cut through the mass of Minbari ships, the two groups proceeding in two lines side by side, one group firing left, the other right. With the warships gone and no fixed defences to speak of it was ridiculously easy, even without the advanced sensors it would have been a shooting gallery.

“Captain Hague, this is Nemesis.”

“Go ahead Admiral.”

“First of all good to have you on the team. Second, what can you see on the planet?”

“It looks like the Minbari landed on a plain away from the main colony, we can see a few ships on the ground, look like freighters and armed transports.”

“I think they are too concentrated in one place, distribute them across the stratosphere if you will Captain.”

“With pleasure Admiral, nuclear missiles are already in the tubes.”

“I want to see the most wanton display of felony arson that colony has ever seen. Take them out.”

The Dreadnought groups finished their attacks and turned away leaving the Minbari cargo ships as nothing but burning debris. As they did so a few points of light burst on the planet as Hague nuked the landing sites, then turned to join them. Ahead of them the second batch of cruisers also left their station, guarding the flank of the attack just in case they had missed a Minbari ship or two.

“All units converging, jump engines are charged.”

“Damage?”

“None sir.”

“Just a sore throat from all the gloating.” Tennant grunted. “This was like taking Candy from a Minbari baby, eating it in front of its face, then spitting it all out again just to show we can.”

“It does appear that…”

“And then taking that kid out of the pram, setting the pram on fire and rolling it down a hill, fully ablaze, into a gas refinery which then explodes with a kiloton of force.”

“I suppose…”

“And then telling the Minbari kid, as it has no candy and witnesses its pram turned into a weapon of mass destruction, that really it’s parents don’t love it and wanted a dog instead.”

“That was an unusually specific analogy Admiral.”

“Sometimes I have these thoughts.”

“Did you used to set fire to things as a kid?”

“No.” Tennant answered flatly. “Well, nothing that was mine.”

“Jump engines ready sir.”

“Time to go home. Now we know these sensors work in a real fight the Joint Chiefs will be eager to send in a real counter attack. Things are going to get busy.”

Hyperspace

Somewhere in Narn Territory

“This brings back memories.” Jha’dur ran her hand over the Commander’s chair as she strolled around the bridge. “Waiting on the eve of battle, the atmosphere, the tension, the balance of fear and excitement. Sometimes I yearn for the grand old days.”

She turned with a smile to the Commanding Officer.

“You remember those days? Another life, a better life perhaps.”

“I remember.” Warmaster An’jash nodded her white haired head stepping gracefully down from the doorway onto the bridge. “Before we began our task seemed impossible. Nobody expected to fight the League, we were outgunned ten to one by just the Drazi. We all thought it was just a glorious method of suicide, to burn out in one bright flame of destruction never to be forgotten.”

She took her seat in the centre of the room, arrays of screens and officers surrounding her interpreting the influx of information and reports.

“But then we started to win.” An’jash settled in the chair. “You and Dar’sen, you gave us victory after victory. And your brother…”

“Yes, Sha’dur.” The other Warmaster lowered her gaze briefly. “He proved the true strength of our people, that we could learn and adapt and excel despite the circumstances. He was not born a soldier and he suffered for it, but he became one of the best we had.”

“He died well Warmaster.”

“It is small consolation.”

An’jash had done well for herself after the war. As a relatively young officer she had been selected as Jha’dur’s attaché and first officer, a position which had allowed her to observe and learn from the enigmatic Warmaster. That knowledge had allowed her to forge success of her own, when the war ended she had assumed command of Jha’dur’s old fleet and fought several successful skirmishes securing her promotion to Warmaster and a place on the Council.

In combat An’jash was clearly Jha’dur’s protégé employing a similar philosophy, but she did not hold her mentors fascination with biology nor did she carry any of the emotional scars making her a far more stable and reasonable personality. While not considered a genius like Jha’dur or Dar’sen she was considered a very competent and steady commanding officer for the Dilgar fleet. She commanded one of two Dilgar Strike Fleets, the most elite formations in the Imperium, with Dal’shan commanding the other.

“You remember War Expert Shai'Jhur of course.” Jha'dur gestured to her Chief of Staff, a slight built Dusty brown haired female who offered a nod in return.

“Yes, You've been doing good work building up the next Strike Fleet.” An'jash praised. “And I remember your actions at Balos, your formation secured the far flank and was the only group available to confront the Minbari when they tried to capture our flagship.”

“It cost me almost my entire command, all lost to a single Minbari capital ship.” Shai'jhur grimaced at the memory. “But we drove them off with heavy damage.”

“If you hadn't I'd now be a guest of the Windswords I expect.” Jha'dur exhaled loudly. “How incredibly dull that would be.”

“If I may ask Warmaster,” Anjash returned to the senior officer, “what are we looking for here?”

“In a word, Drazi.” Jha’dur replied. “Have you been following Minbari activities?”

The younger Warmaster nodded.

“They sent expeditions to the League, a small fleet to each homeworld that jumped out under the defences and informed each government that if they did not withdraw their support for Earth they would be back with mass drivers.”

“An interesting approach to diplomacy, I’ll give them that.” Jha’dur briefly chuckled at the irony of the Minbari threatening to do what she had a decade and change earlier. “My contacts say the League has caved in, there are a lot of old soldiers who want to help Earth but the politics of appeasement commands the League.”

“They are pathetic, they did not help each other when we attacked, now they refuse to help the people who saved them from extinction.” Shai'jhur growled.

“Politicians have short memories.” Jha’dur dismissed. Only the Markab and Brakiri offered help anyway and their fleets took the highest casualties in our war. The handful of ships they could offer would be a passing amusement to the Minbari. Now if the Hyach or Yolu had responded, that could have been interesting.”

“I presume the Drazi were more favourable?” An'jash reasoned.

“Yes, the Drazi.” Jha’dur smiled. “Also the Balosians but their fleet numbers in the single digits. It is the Drazi who are of interest, they are an actual warrior race, they yearn for battle and remember their debts of honour. Plus they put Stro’kath in charge and he is a good friend to humanity. As I understand it when the Minbari threatened him he spent forty minutes yelling the most fascinating language ever uttered by a head of state. Suffice to say two thousand Drazi warships are on their way to Earth.”

“Almost a quarter of their fleet.” Shai'jhur helpfully noted.

“Given they have the Narn, the Centauri and us to worry about that is a very generous deployment.” Jha’dur confirmed. “Stro’kath clearly takes his debts of honour seriously.”

“I admit feeling some admiration.” An’jash remarked casually. “The Minbari are not a race I would want to pick a fight with.”

“Stro’kath is not one to be intimidated, those threats seem to have just made him even more angry. It doesn’t matter, it is not in our best interest to have the Drazi and Earth form stronger ties.” Jha'dur explained. “We need to drive a wedge between Earth and it's old allies so they instead rely more on us.”

“I imagined that was why we were here.” An’jash reasoned.

“To reach Earth they have to cross Narn space, we will not permit that. One of my friends in the Kha’ri informed me of the exact time and route of the Drazi passage. Fleet status Warmaster?”

“Eight hundred and twelve ships of all types, no vessel is more than six years old.” An’jash informed. “They are all state of the art, the entirety of the Second Strike fleet and most of what will become the Third.”

“Ships like this are the future my old friend. I’ll be interested to see how they perform under these circumstances.”

The Dilgar fleet was already feared, the reputation it had gained by dismantling the older and stronger navies of the League so swiftly was rivalled only by Earth Force doing much the same thing in reverse. In terms of skill and leadership the Dilgar were considered largely equal to the best fleets in the galaxy, but it was their technology that had raised eyebrows.

During the war the Dilgar had stolen a lot of League technology and meshed it together into the Sekhmet class. No one really knew how they had managed to make such different systems work together, especially Earth Force which had tried and largely failed to do the same thing with its own recovered tech. The secret of course was the Drakh, a mysterious and advanced race who had offered the Dilgar aid during the war including technology. Their involvement was strictly secret, their motives still unknown even to the senior Dilgar though Jha’dur had her suspicions.

Whatever their reasons the Dilgar fleet had benefited immensely. It’s warships were fast, tough and heavily armed. Most used gravity based shielding and propulsion and were armed with extremely potent laser and pulse weapons. The main fleet fighter, the Thorun MKIV was in constant competition with the latest EA Starfury design for the title of most effective fighter in space, with the Thorun generally being faster while the Starfury was more agile.

The greatest weakness was of course numbers. With a much reduced population base the Dilgar simply could not afford to build and crew a grand fleet like the old days forcing them to emphasise quality over quantity. An’jash’s flagship, a Monarch class battleship, was two kilometres long packing a trio of spinal lasers and a bewildering array of secondary guns. They were considered the best warships in the galaxy until the Minbari had revealed themselves. Even then there were many who would put money on the Dilgar vessel over the Minbari.

“If we go into battle…” An’jash began.

“The fleet is yours Warmaster.” Jha’dur had anticipated the question and answered with a smile. “You earned this position, I am just here as an observer.”

“Understood.” She accepted. “When are they due?”

“Any minute.” Jha’dur replied. “We should see their vanguard soon.”

“Do you think the Narn were telling the truth?” Shai'jhur raised a concern.

“They know better than to lie to me.”

“I can believe that.” An’jash grinned. “Wait, there’s a contact.”

The ship went to full readiness as the sensors located an inbound object, the Dilgar fleet behind it arming their heavy weapons.

“Multiple contacts now, they are following the beacon.” The sensor officer repeated. “Minimal power emissions.”

“They’re rigged for silent running?” An’jash frowned. “In hyperspace?”

“I don’t think so.” Jha’dur stepped forward. “Are we in visual range?”

“Yes Warmaster.”

“Show me.”

The main display altered to show the visual feed, zooming in on a distant Drazi ship. The design was easily identified but torn and blackened, the sleek hull shot to pieces.

“Interesting.” Jha’dur watched several more wrecks drift past, all of them showing signs of massive damage. “Some one beat us to the prize.”

“They took out the whole fleet?” Shai'jhur frowned.

“It appears so. Those ships will drift until they reach the next beacon and then just keep going instead of making the turn to the following one. Lost in hyperspace forever.” Jha’dur narrowed her eyes. “That was my plan.”

“I have other ships on sensors, these ones are active.”

“Drazi?”

“Too big Warmaster.”

“The people who stole our thunder perhaps.”

To little surprise a Minbari cruiser appeared from the red mists followed closely by additional flowing blue vessels. They came to a relative stop before the Dilgar fleet, the communication console chiming a signal.

“Message from the Minbari commander. An Alyt Sineval.”

“Oh good, let’s see how many ships he lost.” Jha’dur smiled widely. “I understand it is a habit for his clan.”

“Patch it through.” An'jash nodded her approval.

Jha'dur put on a diplomatic smile as the Minbari warrior’s image appeared on the main display.

“Alyt Sineval, how strange our paths should cross out here.”

“Warmaster Jha’dur I should have known.” Sineval chuckled. “if anyone could erase a Drazi fleet it would be you!”

She didn’t even blink.

“Well, we just happened to be in the area.”

“How did you do it? We estimated two thousand ships, it would have been a tremendous battle?”

“It was nothing really, barely worth talking about.”

“Still, I am greatly impressed. You have done us a great service, the Windswords thank you.” Sineval inclined his head. “I think our friendship is proving very beneficial to both our races, we will not forget this favour.”

“It is of course a pleasure.” Jha’dur bowed slightly in return. “We must be departing now Alyt, I look forward to our next meeting, I will have some more compounds for you if you remember to bring me what I want.”

“Dusty old scrolls? In exchange for your bioweapons you can have any scrolls you like. Until then Warmaster.”

“Alyt.”

She ended the transmission and turned sharply to An’jash.

“Analysis?”

“He didn’t kill the Drazi.” The white haired Warmaster shook her head. “So who did?”

Jha’dur turned back to the screen, now returned to showing the scattered hulks of the Drazi fleet.

“Who indeed? I have only seen Drazi wrecks so far, even our best estimates accepted we would take notable casualties fighting in hyperspace. So where are the other wrecks?”

“Either they were recovered, a very risky trick in hyperspace, or they lost no ships.” Shai'jhur ran through ideas.

“The latter, based on the Narn reports there would not be time to recover wrecks before we intercepted this fleet. This all happened in less than twenty minutes. Twenty minutes!” Jha’dur shook her head. “Two thousand ships, in hyperspace, with no casualties in twenty minutes or less! No power can do that, not us, not the Centauri, even Sineval was expecting casualties. Who did it?”

“The Drakh?” An'jash considered.

“That was my first thought, but I am not sure.” Jha’dur mused. “They are advanced but are they this advanced? They are clearly hiding their best technology from us but I have done plenty of research on them. They suffered heavily at the hands of the Orieni centuries ago, if they had this power how could the Orieni harm them? Why did not they not wipe them out of the stars? We could do it, why not the Drakh?”

“So they may not be as powerful as they lead us to believe?” Shai'jhur smiled faintly. “Good to know.”

“My information says the Drakh are nomads, their worlds and powerbases destroyed over the centuries. They are advanced but hollow, without a friendly nation providing resources they will never have a means of mass producing their ships. I’m sure they see us as that nation in the near future, they are going to be disappointed.”

“So if not the Drakh, and not one of the local powers, who?”

“Who and why.” Jha’dur added. “Answer either of those questions and we learn the other. Sineval wanted to prevent the Drazi helping Earth militarily, we wanted to isolate Earth from the League politically, but what motive would another power have for this?”

“Either they want to see Earth suffer, or they want to see the Minbari succeed.” An’jash reasoned. “So an enemy of Earth or a friend of Minbar.”

“With power far beyond any existing nation.” Jha’dur concluded. “We have a mystery to solve my friends. Good.” She rubbed her hands together, grinning widely. “Retirement was starting to get boring anyway.”


	7. Chapter 7

7

Beta Durani

For the second time in the last two months Beta Colony was playing host to a concentration of Earth Alliance warships, once again the heavens were grey and heavy with iron and steel, rank after rank, row after row, squadron after squadron. This fleet was much bigger than the ill fated Fourth Fleet which had confronted the Minbari at the start of the war and found itself utterly annihilated but for many it did not matter. Against the Minbari few out on the edges of EA space believed there was much chance of victory.

There was a growing shift in public perception, a feeling like the ground was opening up beneath them and they were in that fraction of a second when gravity took hold, just before falling into an abyss. Out on the major colonies and in the Sol system people were still largely shielded from the true weight of events, they knew the Minbari were powerful and they knew that Earth’s first attempt to stop them had failed. The recent news that the Minbari flagship had been destroyed had helped restore a lot of confidence, but there was still the growing sensation that humanity was getting into something way over its head.

But on the edges of human space, on what promised to become a battlefield within the next few days the feelings were far grimmer. These were the people who had seen the proud fleet depart and never return. They’d seen the refugees, spoken with them, discovered just how quickly the EA fleet had been killed. The outer colonies were quiet, the cities increasingly deserted as those who could flee did so. Even Beta Durani, the jewel of the outer worlds was emptying, its bravado and frontier spirit driven to fear and resignation by the true face of the Minbari.

The sentiments had not escaped the notice of the President. Very soon the refugees from the outer worlds would reach the core worlds with the stories of disaster. So far they had been able to control a lot of the reports about the war, making no secret that Earth was losing the campaign so far but not mentioning exactly how badly. Soon she would have no option but to reveal the scale of the disaster unless her forces could somehow claw back a victory. Sheridan had made a good start, he had provided a ray of hope, but they needed more. The war was on a knife edge, this was their one last chance to push it in Earth’s favour and prove that humanity could force a victory.

Four thousand ships waited at Beta Durani, fully half of the entire Earth Force fleet commanded personally by Admiral Donald Ferguson, one of the heroes of the Dilgar War. Ferguson had lead the EA forces fighting beside the Drazi, operating even further away than Admiral Hamato’s main expedition. Ferguson had been both a fearless tactician and a subtle diplomat forming an excellent partnership with Drazi Warleader Stro’kath who had since gone on to greater things.

When Admiral Hamato resigned in dramatic fashion in protest at the Dilgar Armistice Ferguson had been promoted to his job, the quiet spoken American accepting only after his friend Hamato had given consent. Ferguson had also believed the war should have been fought to the end but a mass resignation of senior officers would not have helped Earth’s position post war. Ferguson accepted the political decision and buried himself in his work, becoming senior officer of the Navy and rebuilding Earth Force after the heavy losses inflicted and the hard lessons learned fighting Dilgar.

One of those lessons, perhaps the hardest, was that the public needed unequivocal success. The Dilgar war wasn’t lost at Balos, it was lost in the living rooms of Earth and Mars and on the Senate floor. The Joint Chiefs knew something similar was happening here, but this time the ramifications were much worse. They needed a victory, a clear victory to keep the public in the war and make sure the politicians gave the military what they needed not just for this war but for the next one.

Ferguson had a simple task, stop the Minbari. How he did it was entirely up to him, the president had been so shaken by the loss of the Fourth Fleet she had handed the Navy a blank cheque to do whatever it needed. Reserves were entering the fleet, mothballed ships were coming on line, within a fortnight Earth Force would be stronger than ever, superior to the force that sailed forth at the height of the Dilgar war.

Ferguson also knew it wasn’t nearly enough.

This wasn’t a war of numbers, it was about abilities. Ferguson’s ancestors had served in the US Cavalry centuries earlier in the Old West, he knew that technology could overcome even titanic numbers. As he looked at the classified data from the early battles with the Minbari he had very clear images of tribesmen with spears and shields charging Maxim guns and howitzers.

As he arrived at Beta Prime it was this image that came with him, so vivid it was impossible to dismiss. He was not heartened by the show of force arrayed before him, a fleet that could have fought its way from one side of the League to the other or to the Narn homeworld and back. It had been shown on the news day after day, a reassuring wall of steel that no enemy could overcome, the great bulwark of human kind.

Numbers would not do it, and to his great sadness it seemed even training and courage would make little difference. He firmly believed the veteran crews of Earth Force were the finest in the galaxy, courageous and competent beyond any other military, but so far it hadn’t made a difference. This next battle had to be different, it had to be, because if it wasn’t the third battle of this war would probably be over Earth itself.

“Admiral on deck.”

Ferguson answered the salute as he arrived on the station, a small guard of honour snapping to attention. They showed no sign of nerves, the troopers blank faced and unreadable.

“Captain Fierre, temporarily assigned to this station sir.” A rather short man introduced himself. “We have quarters prepared for you and the fleet commanders are waiting for a briefing.”

“Call them right now.” Ferguson ordered. “I want to see them immediately.”

“Would you prefer to eat first sir?”

“We don’t have time, Jericho is already under siege.” He replied curtly. “Assemble all staff officers and representatives. I want to be off this station in three hours.”

“Yes sir.”

Ferguson tapped the controls on a transport lift, glancing around.

“Pretty quiet here.”

“Yes sir, most civilians are long gone.”

“Can’t blame them.”

“I hoped they’d have more faith in our chances of stopping the Minbari.”

“Do you Captain?” Ferguson asked blankly.

“I… yes sir, I do.”

“Keep that attitude and we will.” The Admiral smiled slightly. “Get the staff together.”

He entered the lift with a nod.

“Keep the Faith Captain.”

The door slid shut, the Admiral’s face falling. Faith was just about all they had going for them.

Within fifteen minutes the main conference room was busy with six Admirals and twice as many Captains, each representing one of the main formations answering to Ferguson. In addition to the military personnel there were three civilians trying not to be conspicuous without much success. They immediately ceased talking among themselves as Ferguson entered, a khaki uniformed Army officer in step beside him.

“We’ll need at least five divisions no more than an hour behind us.” Ferguson finished off. “The Minbari won’t have had time to dig in but I’d still expect a hard landing.”

“We’ll be ready.” The General said. “permission to stay for the briefing?”

“By all means, take a seat.” Ferguson affirmed, assuming the central position in the room. “Ladies and Gentlemen, less than an hour ago Jericho Colony fell.”

Nobody was really surprised.

“We had already withdrawn our warships to join this fleet, a strike in hyperspace failed to achieve any success. We had hoped the planetary defences would hold until we could arrive but unfortunately not. Our last report said the Minbari were landing troops and that the garrison expected to last no longer than five days. It will take us two to arrive with the fleet.”

He placed a data crystal in the nearest port, bringing up a series of grainy images.

“We managed a few recon flights at long range beyond the ability of the Minbari to intercept. While we have no hard sensor readings a review of photographic images taken on the mission suggests the Minbari fleet has increased to at least five hundred ships.”

That drew a few comments.

“While we still heavily outnumber the Minbari I would remind you all we had them heavily outnumbered at Cyrus too.” Ferguson intoned. “Now we have a great deal of flexibility in how we approach this, before we commit I need to know that we have a chance.”

He fixed his gaze on the broad form of Vice Admiral Tennant.

“Give me good news Joe.”

The tall man broke into a confident smile.

“The field test was flawless. Our new sensor system penetrated the Minbari jammers. We had full targeting data, we could scan their internal structure and sytems, it even boosted our effective range two fold.”

“What about our weapons?”

“Minbari are tough, but we can hurt them.” Tennant assured. “Now we can aim accurately we have a chance sir. A fighting chance.”

It was what he needed to hear. In one moment the task in hand went from suicidal to achievable, from a desperate attack to a battle that could be planned for and won. In a heartbeat everything came back to him, he would not have to simply preside over the Death Ride of the veterans of Earth Force, he could fight a real battle.

Admiral Ferguson’s frown lessened marginally, his stomach untied itself and his mind engaged to formulate an effective response to the information.

“This is what we were hoping for.” He voiced everybody’s thoughts. “This is what we needed. Understand very clearly that this does not guarantee victory, all it does is remove the possibility of inevitable defeat. This battle remains ours to lose.”

He looked over to the civilians.

“I understand you represent the EIA?”

“Agent Sakai.” The apparent leader of the group confirmed. “This is my pilot Captain Calendar, and this is Clarence Wallis.”

“Professor Wallis?” Ferguson tilted his head. “From Vickers Lockheed?”

“Ah, yes sir.” The middle aged man answered absently, his mind clearly elsewhere. “I run the Skunkworks back home, I’m here to oversee the installation of the new sensor kits.”

“How is it going?”

“Already done Admiral.” Wallis said with obvious pride. “Two hundred ships have them, mainly command vessels and scout cruisers.”

“Can we share the data over standard datalinks?” Ferguson asked.

“Yes Admiral, the sensors are integrated with our systems. Just treat them like our old units. The information can be loaded up to the standard battle net and be accessed by any warship or fighter, providing those vessels aren’t destroyed.”

Ferguson nodded sternly at the comment.

“Those ships are our trump card. Hopefully the Minbari won’t guess their purpose until it is too late, but if they do make sure they are well distributed and protected.”

“Already set up in the fleet plans sir.” One of the other commanders affirmed.

“We’re already working on mass producing sensor packs, enough to outfit the whole fleet.” Wallis stated. “But for now we only have these two hundred read for service.”

“It’ll be enough.” Ferguson resolved. “Are we waiting for anyone?”

“No sir, we have every ship fully fuelled and ready.”

“Yours too Joe?”

“Ready for round two.” Tennant affirmed.

“Very good.” Ferguson addressed the room. “The plan is simple. Jump to Jericho, engage the Minbari fleet and retake the planet. I’ll give you each your assignments individually but I’m expecting all of you to handle your fleets flexibly. You’ve all proved yourselves in wars and battles before, you are the best and most experienced of our senior officers. I need that, Earth needs it. I need you dangerous, razor sharp, ready to exploit our advantages mercilessly. Admiral Tennant has proven we can beat their ships, it’s up to us here in this room to prove we can beat their navy.”

He took the data crystal back, shutting down the display screen and ending the short briefing.

“The whole war turns on our actions. Our experience with the Minbari is still mainly mystery and fear, but likewise their knowledge of us is also very limited. Let’s show them exactly what to expect from us. Report to your units and be ready to depart in three hours. We owe them bloodshed.”

“Captain Black.” Tennant collared his newest lieutenant. “Checking up on the station?”

“Just making sure everything was where I left it.” She replied with a dejected huff. “They already repainted my quarters, already! You'd think they had more important priorities these days. Just appalling.”

“Well you’ve moved on to bigger and better things. Come on.”

They headed down one of the numerous corridors, Black easily navigating the labyrinth.

“The briefing didn’t seem to take long.”

“Admiral Ferguson likes to get to the point.” Tennant stated. “We’re going in, no messing about.”

“Understood sir.”

“Are your people ready for it?”

“We came out of that last battle without a scratch sir, we just needed to top up the fuel tanks. Should be done by now.”

“Not your ships Captain, your people.” Tennant specified. “We had surprise on our side that last little battle, this is going to be a stand up fight. Whole different thing.”

Black nodded heavily.

“It’s been a while, but most of my senior officers are veterans of Balos. They’ve seen it get bad, they won’t lose their nerve. We’re ready for this.”

“You’ll need to be.” Tennant led her to one of the dormitories within the station. “The Minbari still out range us and can out run us. If they chose to fight a mobile battle they can still tear us apart.”

“So far all they’ve done is form line and advance on us.”

“That’s because so far all we’ve done is explode and die.” Tennant reminded. “I’m hoping we can change that, which means they’ll change too. Assume nothing, just because they fight like morons doesn’t mean they can’t suddenly get smart. Don’t let them surprise you.”

“Understood.”

Tennant opened the door.

“I’m going to give you something to help you out.”

Within the room a group of uniformed officers were relaxing, some playing cards, some reading, some composing holo letters. They at once stood to attention as the two senior officers entered, a tall and rather dashing man with dark hair standing ahead of them.

“Sir.” He saluted the Admiral. “Lieutenant Commander Jeffrey Sinclair, Thirteenth Tactical Fighter Squadron.”

“As you were.” Tennant nodded. “Captain Black, meet the Ghostriders.”

“The Thirteenth.” Black didn’t bother hiding her awe. “Best squadron in the Force. This unit made the Dilgar fighter corps cry themselves to sleep every night.”

“They have a reputation and I’m glad to say they are living up to it.” Tennant confirmed. “You are looking at the only pilot to kill a Minbari fighter.”

Black regarding Sinclair with interest.

“I engaged a scout at the edge of the system a few days ago.” Sinclair informed. “He’d already taken out four Furies on patrol, I went after him.”

“This was before we tested the targeting sensors. The Commander brought his kill down the old fashioned way.” Tennant stated. “Closed to within thirty yards, thirty damn yards, and unloaded every gun into him.”

“It did the job sir.” Sinclair concluded.

“This is your new Commander, Air Group.” Tennant grinned. “Commander Sinclair, you’ll be serving aboard the Warspite under Captain Helena Black. We’re going to be front and centre when all hell breaks loose, the Minbari will make us priority targets.”

“Understood sir, we’ll do what it takes.”

“On the plus side we’ve broken Minbari Stealth, you won’t have to get within thirty yards anymore.” The Admiral smiled coldly. “Think you like those odds Commander?”

“I think I like them very much sir.” Sinclair grinned widely. “My people are better, if we can see them we’ll bring them down by the squadron.”

“You’re going to get your chance. We move out in three hours, report to the Warspite, you too Captain, this is where we see what you’re made of.

Jericho Colony.

“They didn’t even put up a fight.” Neroon snorted. “What kind of Navy lets us walk in without a fight?”

“A Navy that is conserving its strength for a massive counter attack.” Branmer responded simply, the image of the world filling the curtain display before him, several blue ships circling lazily and from time to time sending a brief line of green energy to a target on the surface.

“The orbital defences were respectable if ineffective.” The Shai Alyt considered. “And they had already dispersed much of their army. Did we get the reports from the initial attack?”

“Our warriors landed to no opposition, we levelled their bases but they had only a skeleton force.” Neroon informed. “Most likely their main strength withdrew to difficult terrain. We’re having a hard time finding them from orbit.”

“Then we’ll have to find them on the ground.” Branmer shrugged. “Our ground forces were decrying the fleet for killing all the humans before they had a chance to wash their knives in blood. Now they have their chance.”

“Going after a well prepared enemy in difficult terrain probably isn’t what they were expecting.”

“In the words of Valen, be careful what you wish for.”

“You believe the humans will attack?” Neroon considered. “They must be aware of how heavily we outmatch them?”

“They know.” Branmer agreed. “So they will not attack unless they think they have an advantage to exploit. They are quite clever, Satai Delenn gave me some information about them and their recent war with the Dilgar. You should read it.”

“I will Shai Alyt.” Neroon promised.

“But at the same time they know they must attack, they cannot hold a defensive line against us, they must retake the initiative. They will attack and it will probably be here.”

“That means they must have found a weakness in our fleet.” Neroon narrowed his eyes. “Something has changed since our initial attack.”

“Possibly. Our guard force at Cyrus was recently destroyed along with most of our fuel supplies.”

“How is that possible Shai Alyt?”

“According to the local Commander the humans attacked with surprise and overwhelming force.” Branmer replied. “It seems that if they send enough ships they believe they can bury us in an avalanche of bodies. It appears we will soon find out.”

He changed the view to a map of local space.

“Our scouts reported a human fleet at Durani, nearly four thousand ships.”

“That must be most of their navy.”

“About half.” Branmer informed. “They left their base several hours ago, they are almost certainly on their way here.”

“They could be heading to Cyrus.” Neroon suggested. “To cut our supply lines.”

“Possible, but I do not think so. Human doctrine seems to emphasise the destruction of the enemy. Anything else they do is merely in service of that goal. They will fight us head on, and they will want to do it quickly before we cut them apart piecemeal.”

“What are your orders Shai Alyt?”

“There are reports from Cyrus that the humans used jump point attacks. Keep the fleet mobile and flexible, we don’t want a repeat if true. Shift beyond lunar orbit, we will fight the battle in open space, nowhere for the humans to hide.”

“Nothing to interfere with our fields of fire.” Neroon understood.

“Exactly.” Branmer affirmed. “We engage at long range. Clinical, precise. It may not offer the glory many of our warriors apparently seek, but it will keep them alive. See to it.”

“At once.”

“And Neroon, ensure we have a clear line of retreat to Cyrus.” Branmer half smiled. “Just in case they are as good as they believe they are.”

Approaching Jericho Colony

Two days later.

“You smell that? I smell battle.”

“Nah, that’s just Powell, you get used to it after a while.”

Private Groller hurled his newspaper at his bunkmate, Cooper swatting it aside with a chuckle.

“Come on, you know what I mean!” Groller pressed. “This is it, finally!”

“This is what, Private Groller?”

At that voice the entire room snapped to attention, leaping up from their bunks or chairs. They held their posture as the owner of the voice regarded them, then settled his attention on Groller.

“Talk Private.”

“Sergeant, sir, I meant this is our chance for action.”

Sergeant Major Alfredo Garibaldi took a step back, nodding indulgently.

“That it is Private. Red platoon, one step forward if you have seen action before!”

All of two people from the twenty strong unit stepped from their positions.

“Mark my words boys and girls, this is not a movie!” Garibaldi called out. “You have trained hard, you have learned everything you can be taught, but it will not fully prepare you for what you are about to experience. You will be asked to kill a sentient being, one who looks a bit like us. This isn’t Gaim swatting, these guys have faces, eyes. You will see terror in their expressions, you will see them sob and cry. You will be responsible for inflicting that pain and death.”

Garibaldi was close to being a legend among those who knew of him. He had joined the army late in life, the final stop on a road of troubled events and dead ends. He didn’t expect much, but when war with the Dilgar broke out he found himself dropped into the heart of it all. Habitually trapped behind enemy lines Garibaldi had fought with fury and skill, beating anything the Dilgar happened to put in his path. He was promoted to Sergeant and eventually above, leading by example. His most well reported exploit came during his first combat with the Dilgar, in the midst of the fight he found himself facing a Dilgar Spectre, one of the finest special forces agents in the galaxy. With no gun to hand Garibaldi had to improvise, grabbing the nearest heavy object which turned out to be a crowbar and simply beating the operative to death.

Ever since he had borne the nickname ‘Crowbar’ to his amusement.

When the war ended and the army downsized Garibaldi, by now a more mature and confident man, started his own detective agency and turned his life into something worth while, even recruiting his son into the family business. It lasted until the Minbari arrived and the President authorised the call up of all experienced military personnel. Garibaldi was near the top of the list.

He returned to his old unit, the 99th airborne as Regimental Sergeant Major and immediately began turning the fairly green unit into something meaner. The decade of peace after the Dilgar war had meant a lot of Earth Force, especially the younger recruits, hadn’t seen much action. While most of the veterans of the Dilgar war filled out the more senior officer and NCO posts the junior ranks had a serious experience gap. If it wasn’t handled right it could be disastrous.

“By the end of today you will have killed.” Garibaldi said simply. “It will change you. What you must do is not let it change you for the worse. Do not doubt yourself, do not hesitate, do not question the situation. You are here to stop the Minbari, you do this by killing them. There is no other way, we have tried. We kill them or they kill us, end of story.”

He was interrupted by a horn sounding through the shipwide tannoy system.

“Now here this, all hands to action stations, all troops report to launch bays.”

“You hear that? Time to step up Red Platoon!” Garibaldi shouted. “Drop your gear and double time it! Move!”

The room emptied rapidly, the green clad soldiers flowing through the corridors to their assigned armouries. The process was much easier than it had been in Garibaldi’s day, the troopship had a rotating section to simulate gravity for the troops.

“Get to your stations, gear up!” He ordered. “By the numbers people!”

This was the part he wasn’t so familiar with. Between wars the 99th had transitioned from being a pure airborne unit into something considerably different. As Garibaldi opened his much larger locker he was confronted not with the basic body armour, helmet and rifle had grown to know so well, but with a dull green full body suit of powered armour. The Infantry Combat Exosuit.

“Okay, here we go.” He exhaled. “Hope I don’t break this thing.”

Earth had learned a lot of lessons from the Dilgar war, some of them very painful. During the final months of the war the Dilgar fielded a new type of soldier, cybernetically enhanced commandos who proved incredibly hard to kill. Strong, resilient and utterly committed to the cause they caused havoc in the tunnels of Balos disproportionate to their numbers.

Earth Force began working on a hard counter to these units almost at once, adapting the full enclosed space combat powered hardsuit for terrestrial use. While the war had ended before the concept was ready the continued threat of the Dilgar military ensured a much more refined exosuit was eventually designed and given to elite units within the army and Marine Corps. Using a sophisticated brain wave reader the suit responded to basic thoughts making it highly responsive and swift to master, it boosted the strength of the wearer ten fold and provided a fully enclosed heavily armoured environment rated against the best known weapons. They could absorb fire from Narn pulse rifles and even Centauri particle guns, no small achievement.

The suits had proven themselves in limited engagements and in exercises, but this was to be their first true combat mission.

The suit opened automatically, Garibaldi stepping it. It closed around him, the power systems whirring, all the various actuators adjusting the suit to his height and build to make it a perfect fit. He had a full micro fusion reactor in the back giving him nearly limitless power for any conceivable task and extensive recycling systems. While he didn’t examine exactly how it recycled material he knew he could stay locked in here for weeks at a time. Naturally he’d prefer not to.

A little awkwardly he stepped forward, the armoured boots clanking on the metal deck. He was joined by the metallic thunder of the rest of the company doing the same, taking up their various heavy weapons and moving to the final assembly area where the Commanding officer of the battalion awaited them.

Garibaldi did a quick check, then made his report.

“Colonel Franklin, all personnel present and accounted for sir.”

From within his armour Colonel Richard ‘Firestorm’ Franklin accepted the report, standing ahead of the Battalion with an expression of obvious pride.

“Soldiers of the 99th. As you know the Minbari have taken Jericho Colony, it is our job to take it back. Fortunately the attack occurred less than three days ago, the latest reports say the Minbari are still being engaged by our garrison down there. This means the will be badly positioned and not prepared for the sort of hell we’re going to be bringing with us.

“The Navy will hit the Minbari fleet with overwhelming numbers and firepower. They’ll be launching enough missiles that we’d be able to walk to the surface! We wait here, watch the show, then we get our own turn to deliver some payback. We’ll be rescuing the civilian settlements which are apparently still holding out at this time and if possible linking up with the surviving garrison.

“We know very little about the Minbari, what we do know is that they are a warrior culture and have an advanced level of technology. Do not underestimate them or their abilities. Just because you are in an exosuit does not make you invincible.

“One other thing we do know is that the Minbari do not take prisoners and are known to execute wounded soldiers where they lay. If that is the war they want to fight, then that’s the war we’ll give them! We owe it to our brothers and sisters who have fallen to take back Jericho, to drive the Minbari out of our space and take the war to them! We were the first unit to set foot on a Dilgar planet, we will be the first unit to land on a Minbari world! Hoo-rah!”

“Hoo-rah!” The battalion replied back with deafening power.

“Then load up to your drop ships, follow orders, use your heads, and we’ll al make it home alive as heroes.” Franklin smiled. “And as you wait consider these words, written by a wiser man than I.

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man

As modest stillness and humility:

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

Then imitate the action of the tiger;

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,

Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;

Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit

To his full height.

“The Minbari took their shot at us.” Franklin finished. “Now we get our turn.”


	8. Chapter 8

8

Approaching Jericho

EAS Charlemagne

Flagship, Earth Force Combined Fleet.

“The last beacon is active, code confirms.” Commander Austin reported from his station, cycling the data to double check it. “We have a clear run to Jericho.”

“Very good Commander.” Ferguson ran through the final status reports. Everything was in place, eight full sized fleets were poised and ready to go on his word, the heart of Earth Force, the best ships and most experienced crews. These were the ships that had fought the Dilgar to a standstill, that had endured a campaign that would have broken any other Navy in the galaxy. He had never imagined having to face a more difficult test than those brutal days, yet here it was.

“Put all ships into jump positions. Deploy scouts forward, there’s a chance they may try to hit us in hyperspace.”

“Yes sir, Fury patrols are already checking the route ahead.”

“Send word to Captain Maynard, I want him ready to jump in on the edge of the system as soon as he’s in position. Have him locate the enemy and report back.”

“It’s likely the Minbari will detect him jumping in, even at long range.” Austin warned. “We’ll lose the element of surprise.”

“It’s a judgement call, I need to know what’s waiting for us at Jericho.” Ferguson voiced his position. “If the Minbari have the upper hand we’re not going to livelong enough for a second chance.”

“Yes sir, sending the orders up.”

“Make sure everyone is at action stations.” Ferguson reminded. “Once we get that picture we’re going in immediately.”

It was the moment everyone had waited for, each and every member of the fleet sensing it was near, waiting in limbo for the final word, that definitive call to arms. Once given there was no more room for doubt or questioning, philosophy and the examination of possibilities was replaced by the clear framework of duty. Every man and woman in the fleet had a place and a task to perform and they knew their role intimately.

Most of the people in the fleet had not seen much combat. They were mostly career personnel but only the more senior hands and officers had fought the Dilgar. Fortunately that experience had a way of trickling down through countless drills and exercises, hour after hour of practice, training and war games. Even those who knew war had not faced an enemy like the Minbari before, they had gone over the last minute reports from Commander Sheridan and Admiral Tennant on possible weaknesses in the enemy, the drive fins and exposed weapons were all marked as priority targets. With the new sensors they might actually be able to hit them.

Alarms sounded, blast doors clanged shut, the myriad of main and back up systems worked themselves up to full power. Damage control parties hung at their stations, fighter pilots tightened their harnesses and braced for instant launch the moment they exited hyperspace. Bridge officers ran their checklists, warship Captains gave their vessels a last minute run down, battlegroup commanders ensured their communications and data links were fully operational.

Everything that could be done had been done, all preparations were made. Clocks ticked, hearts beating in time, loud and rhythmic. Silence descended, the beeps of the consoles fading as the mind sped up and adrenaline infused the system. Even at the height of the Dilgar war Earth had not committed this many ships to one battle, this was the largest fleet human kind had ever sent into action, and the most important battle of the age.

Clocks ticked, hearts thumped, lungs paused mid breath. Moments bled into moments, all waiting that one command.

“Jump.”

Alaca.

“You’ve been locked in here for two days now.” Warmaster Dal’shan announced by way of greeting, blinking a few times to adjust his eyes to the dark conditions in the quiet room. “Have you eaten? You missed three appointments you know, some people were preparing to declare you dead.”

Jha’dur dismissed his concerns with a disinterested wave, rewinding a piece of video footage on her screen for at least the fiftieth time.

“I’m sure the Council can reach its decisions without me.” She barely looked up.

“Even when you are neck deep in experiments you always check in.” Dal’shan frowned with mild concern. “Especially at this time, Earth Force is due to engage the Minbari at any minute, Ari is with them. I am genuinely surprised you haven’t made arrangements to watch it.”

“I lost track of time.” She admitted. “Two days?”

“Two days.” Dal’shan held out a sealed paper box. “I brought dinner.”

The female Warmaster broke a rare true smile.

“You think of everything.”

“Part of my training.” He pulled up a chair in the dim room, looking at her screen. “So is this what has been keeping you captivated?”

“Sineval’s payment.” Jha’dur said. “Well, part of it. These are Minbari historic records, over a thousand years old.”

“I see.” Dal’shan sounded unimpressed.

“They come direct from the Grey Council archives, viewed only by Satai grade individuals. Sineval broke several rules copying these files, they are extremely highly classified.”

“What is he getting in return?”

“Immortality.” Jha’dur replied. “Well, theoretically. I’m not sure exactly how I’ll deal with that, for now he’s happy with some biowarfare agents. What he gave me, these files, I’d have sold him a damn planet for this information.”

“I’m going to assume you found something interesting?”

“You could say that.” Jha’dur accepted. “Not much surprises me, call me jaded and cynical, but I have never felt true stomach dropping amazement since I was a child. This morning it happened again.”

She tapped the screen.

“And this is why.”

Dal’shan looked at the image and shrugged.

“It’s a human space station, looks like Io Prime but with green markings. Bit bigger perhaps.”

“Well spotted.”

“Is it new? I didn’t read anything in our reports. Something this big should have been flagged.”

“Oh I assure you that isn’t even close to the most interesting bit. This isn’t an intelligence report. This is the archive Sineval sent me.”

Dal’shan frowned. “What do you mean? I thought you said they were a thousand years old?”

“I did.” She answered, watching the realisation cross his face. “Now you know why I vanished for two days.”

“This is impossible.”

“I’ve checked the records extensively, they aren’t forgeries.” She answered, switching through a few other records. “Apparently not much survived from this war, perhaps deliberately. You remember the Drakh spoke about this era, and several League powers have a history dating back here? Markab, Yolu, a few others?”

“I remember, all of it pretty vague.”

“That vagueness bothered me. Whatever happened back then is still affecting us today, through the Drakh and I suspected through the Minbari too. What I’ve seen here confirms that.”

She shuffled through dozens of papers all across the large table before her, days of work, research and notes.

“This all started years ago. After the war and my enforced retirement I took to reading about pivotal figures in history. The first Centauri Emperor, human classical figures, several leaders from the League, and then I read the book of G’Quan.”

“I’m familiar with the story, a Narn telepath who united most of his planet to drive off a bunch of demons. Most people with intellect now accept they were an advanced alien race.” Dal’shan said. “Though in the process all Narn telepaths were killed off.”

“You remember when it happened?”

“A thousand years ago.” Dal’shan paused. “At the same time as the stories from the League about wars with demons.”

“That connection is where I started gathering all I could on this era. The Drakh were part of it, I know they were, but they were quite reluctant to share any precise information. I thought for a while that they might have been the demons in question but they don’t fit. Not nearly powerful enough.”

She tapped the screen, playing some video.

“Sineval delivered.”

Dal’shan watched in fascination as a small group of what he assumed were ships moved across the screen. They were like lancer crabs from Omelos, small black bodies sprouting vicious spines and spikes in a ferocious spread, simply looking at them made the veteran warrior grow cold.

“These three ships killed a hundred Minbari vessels.” Jha’dur explained. “And even back then the Minbari had respectable units, superior to the Centauri and not much worse than us now. These ships match several images scattered through texts across the galaxy. A thousand years ago these things were ranging free killing with impunity. They knocked off the major powers one by one, then turned on the Minbari.”

“This is Valen’s time isn’t it?” Dal’shan asked.

“Precisely.” Jha’dur nodded. “The Minbari were getting torn apart, they lost their main bases, most of their colonies, vast numbers of ships. The enemy was one jump from Minbar when poof.”

“Poof?”

“Poof, battlestation.”

She brought the image back to the human style space station.

“Just what they needed exactly when they needed it.”

“So this isn’t a coincidence?” Dal’shan asked. “Not some old race with a similar design philosophy?”

“It’s definitely human.” Jha’dur confirmd. “Take a look inside.” She changed records. “That’s English writing, and look at the hanger bays.”

“Starfuries.” Dal’shan recognised. “But no crew?”

“Just one. Valen.”

“The only explanation is time travel.”

“Agreed.” Jha’dur exhaled. “My brother was looking at theories before the war, using the time distortion of a hyperspace transition to see if you could actually travel in time. He didn’t really scratch the surface, maybe if things were different...” She tailed off.

“I’d say this looks like proof.” Dal’shan concluded. “Which raises two questions, how and why?”

“The how is easy. Vorlons.” Jha’dur replied. “The records state the Vorlons delivered the station. We know that the Vorlons are certainly older than the Minbari and Drakh, and that the Drakh hate them. If any race had the ability it would be them.”

“And the why would be in order to give the Minbari a victory.”

“Which it did, the Minbari fleet rallied and held the line. But the station was only half of the equation.”

“Valen.” Dal’shan commented.

“Valen.”

“This is where I hit a brick wall.” Jha’dur resumed. “I analysed the station, while it has the basic design of a major human base there is nothing of that size planned or in service. So I checked out the fighters, they are basic Aurora class fighters similar to those in use right now but there are differences. These fighters have modifications, enhancements, an improvement of the current design.”

“So this station comes from the future?”

“Yes, but not too far in the future if they are still using Furies. Earth could build this station tomorrow I’d say, but of course they won’t.”

“Because you can get two or three task forces for the same resources that base would eat up.” Dal’shan recognised. “This station isn’t a wartime project.”

“Exactly.” Jha’dur nodded. “This station was built by humanity in the future, a future where Earth is at peace, where they are still wealthy enough to afford a station of this scale, and where they clearly aren’t incinerated by the Minbari. This station, these records, prove the Minbari do not wipe out humanity, nor do they break the Earth Alliance to a minor nation that couldn’t afford such a project.”

“And then it ends up a thousand years in the past in Minbari hands. Beautiful irony.”

“If the Minbari get their way in this war, no station, no rally point, Minbar gets burnt down by these aliens a thousand years ago.” Jha’dur chuckled. “I quite like the idea, it would be the perfect reward for them.”

“So this is proof the war must end favourably for humanity?”

“Yes and no, it’s a whole timeline multiverse issue, more my brother’s area of expertise.” Jha’dur wrinkled her nose. “Basically this has already happened, if it doesn’t happen again it won’t affect anything we know, but would branch off a parallel timeline. Or something. What I mean is this does not guarantee humanity survives, just that in a possible previous timeline they did.”

“I hate temporal mechanics.”

“Me too, suffice to say this information isn’t going to change Minbari policy by itself.”

“Is this what we want?” Dal’shan asked. “Are we going to try and influence Minbari policy?”

“In a word, yes.” Jha’dur answered. “But I still don’t know how. We have a way in through Sineval but he doesn’t have any real power. I need a better contact, ideally someone on the Grey Council with a brain cell.”

“Someone you can show this footage to?”

“Exactly. I don’t know if they understand what it means, if they can recognise the human architecture, if they’ve even seen it. But if I can make them see what I’ve seen, I think we can alter their perception of humans.”

“Encouraging a settlement, which we can take credit for.”

“And making both Earth and Minbar beholden to us in the process.” Jha’dur affirmed. “Which is going to be very important in the future. We need allies, powerful allies. Right now we’re completely isolated and vulnerable which is not healthy.”

“I’m still not entirely convinced.” Dal’shan frowned. “Did you find anything else?”

“Well, maybe a little something.” She dug out a piece of paper. “Some selected speeches made by Valen.”

“Quite poetic.” Dal’shan scanned them.

“Actually, very poetic.” Jha’dur dropped a thick book on the table written in English.

“The complete works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson.” Dal’shan read the title. “Human?”

“Read the pages I’ve marked.” She leaned back and smiled. “And I hope you’re comfortable because we’ll need more than two days to figure that one out.”

Jericho Colony

Near Jericho III

“They could arrive any second.” Branmer declared, his voice reaching across the fleet from his station within the command room. “Their fighters destroyed our sensor buoys more than five minutes ago, more than enough time for them to assume position.”

“Shall we concentrate Shai Alyt?” One of his flotilla commanders asked.

“Not until they jump in. Let them deploy first, then we’ll know where to put our guns.” The voiced his caution, the delay was beginning to concern him, make him wonder what the enemy was planning. “Once they do all ships will form on my position. Follow my lead, standard deployment.”

“Sharlin groups one to fifteen on the right, sixteen to thirty on the left.” Neroon clarified. “Escorts hold formation on the four flanks, fighters stay close to the parent ships.”

“Expect the humans to engage aggressively.” Branmer warned. “They know what happened to their last fleet, they know that they must close to point blank range to stand a chance against us. It will be a cavalry charge played out with capital ships, expect a lot of fast moving debris heading directly for us. Don’t be afraid to break formation to avoid an impact.”

“Provided you return to position swiftly.” Neroon added. “We will need to hold a firm centre and fire efficiently to counter human numbers.”

“Against these odds, expect casualties.” Branmer said flatly. “Whatever your personal opinions of humans they will fight hard and they will be prepared to sacrifice lives to reach us.”

“Fanatics.” One of the commanders sneered.

“It is a calculation, they can afford to sacrifice three or four ships to kill one of ours and still win. We must prevent this. Learn from the Black Star, maintain range, ensure your targets are completely destroyed, be alert for debris and fast moving wrecks.”

“Shai Alyt.” Neroon suddenly stepped in. “An Earth ship.”

Branmer looked for the target, a lone vessel several hundred thousand miles away.

“A survey vessel. Can we jam its transmissions?”

“Too far away.”

“It’s telling Earth where we are. You all know the plan, form on me and engage capital ships first. Valen willing we will break the human Navy today and fulfill our obligation to the council. In Valen’s name.”

“Valen’s name.”

Branmer exhaled gently, cleansing his mind, arraying his faculties for the task before him.

“Into the fire my brother.”

EAS Charlemagne

“Coordinates confirmed, Captain Maynard just uploaded the data.”

Ferguson nodded curtly, far too focused to spend time on any unnecessary word or movement.

“Plot jump location and signal the fleet.”

“Coordinates locked, beacon is stable. All ships have their jump coordinates.” Commander Austin reported, almost tripping over his words in haste.

“Into the fire ladies and gentlemen.” Ferguson exhaled, setting his resolve to the task at hand. “Make the Jump.”

“All ships, Jump now.” Austin ordered. “Jump now.”

While nobody noted the fact the transition from hyperspace was the largest ever attempted by humanity. Nearly a thousand vortexes formed, generated by the capital ships of the fleet, the Nova Dreadnoughts, Hyperion cruisers and Avenger Carriers. Through these came not just the immense grey shapes of the battle fleet but also a myriad of escorts, mainly Olympus class corvettes but with a healthy scatter of Sagittarius missile cruisers and Artemis Frigates.

They funneled through the vortex, each jump point positioned so there was no chance of it merging with a vortex from another vessel. Such an occurrence would be a disaster, if they were lucky the emerging vessels would collide with each other at high speed, if they weren’t the interaction of hyperspace energy could obliterate any ship within hundreds of miles. It meant the EA ships emerged in a series of small task forces distributed quite widely, a necessary precaution.

The mass jump went well, the fleet arriving outside Minbari weapons range but with enough velocity to cross the gulf of space quite sharply. At once the fleet began to concentrate, the task forces breaking up and moving into mutually supporting positions, capital ships in the centre, escorts on the flanks in a mirror of the Minbari deployment. Ferguson had considered many different formations but in the end had settled on this simple arrangement designed to concentrate maximum firepower against a single part of the enemy line. Exactly the same plan Branmer had settled on.

Sinclair felt the ship lurch out of hyperspace, never a pleasant sensation made rather worse by the velocity the Warspite had picked up. Captain Black wasn’t wasting any time, her Dreadnought group and its escorts were Ferguson’s reserve ready to plug any gaps in the line, exploit a break through, or if called upon form a last line of defence to cover the retreat.

“Ghost Riders, brace for launch.” The flight deck controller informed unnecessarily, the whole squadron knew it was coming as soon as the ship stopped wobbling. The bay doors snapped open revealing space beyond, no sign of either the colony or the Minbari could be seen but they were out there.

With a familiar kick the catapults fired Sinclair down the range, his Aurora Fury engaging engines once it was clear and conserving the useful velocity imparted by the launch rail.

“Warspite Airwing, form on me.” Sinclair ordered calmly. “Missile birds take position at the rear.”

Despite his relative youth Sinclair was already commanding three squadrons, his obvious talent as a pilot matched by the easy authority of a natural leader. He was soft spoken, thoughtful, cuttingly witty if the situation demanded it but above all else dedicated entirely to his unit and his mission.

“Ghost leader, Warspite.” A transmission came through. “Assume point, all squadrons are authorised to move forward and clear the battlespace of enemy light craft.”

“Copy that Warspite.” Sinclair replied. “Alright then, accelerate to attack speed. Missile birds go for enemy escorts in grid two zero by three. All other craft engage Minbari fighters. We owe these guys some bloodshed.”

Sword of Valen

“There they are.” Neroon observed. “Nearly half their remaining fleet.”

“They are taking this battle very seriously.” Branmer nodded. “Whichever way it goes the next hour will be decisive. Alter course, set fleet formation along our axis of advance. One quarter thrust.”

“Only one quarter Shai Alyt?”

“We have no need to close the range, and the humans are advancing quite rapidly.” Branmer narrowed his eyes, judging the situation. “They’re forming a core of heavy warships. They intend to meet us head on, very well. That is where we focus the attack.”

The tall blue ships of the Minbari Federation arrayed themselves as if for a review, the high sails and broad fins lining up in a checkerboard formation three vessels high and ten wide, ninety battlecruisers each mounting eighteen Neutron cannons and an array of secondary weapons. The formation was perfect, much neater than the hastily assembling human ships but conferred no special advantage beside the aesthetic.

“Human fighter craft are detaching from the main force.” Neroon reported. “They are approaching from multiple directions.”

“Order the escort ships to engage at will and to protect the battle line.” Branmer countered. “Release all squadrons, have them intercept the human craft and destroy them before they get close. The frigates can deal with any stragglers.”

Like shoals of glittering fish wave after wave of Nial fighters surged forward eager to taste battle. The sky was full of targets, Earth Force throwing fighters at the fleet like confetti, tens of thousands of starfuries against less than a tenth that number of Minbari craft. It did not concern them, in previous battles a lone Nial had proven a match for a full squadron of human craft, it was going to be a massacre.

“Approaching maximum effective range.” Neroon stated. “Human ships are jamming us, at this range we can’t guarantee hits.”

“Fire anyway.” Branmer ordered. “Let the guns run hot.”

EAS Charlemagne.

“Enemy fighters on intercept vector.” Austin informed. “Minbari capital ships are lighting us up.”

“Time to effective range?”

“Five minutes Admiral.”

“Fingers crossed they can’t beat our Electronic Warfare at this range, or else this is going to get ugly.”

The Minbari took the first shots, green beams tentatively crossing the void. Only three of them made contact and fortunately only scored glancing hits.

“The Vincennes is reporting engine damage, she can’t maintain pace.” Austin checked. “No other hits.”

“Put her with the back up units.” Ferguson ordered. “The blanket jamming seems to have worked.”

“Yes sir, shall we return fire?”

“We’re outside pulse cannon range, but we have plenty of missiles. Begin salvo fire by battlegroup, we won’t overwhelm them but we’ll force them to shoot down those missiles instead of focusing on us.”

“Yes sir.”

“Where are our fighters?”

“Seconds from contact.”

“Are they linked into the sensor grid?” Ferguson asked swiftly. “Are the new sensors working?”

“Everything looks in the green sir.” Austin reported back. “All units should be able to engage Minbari vessels as soon as we enter range.”

“Get those missiles in the air.” Ferguson pulled back, reviewing the larger scene. “And make sure our ELINT ships are well shielded.”

Almost every ship in the fleet had some assortment of missiles, some launched from bow tubes like the Hyperion class, others from racks on the outer hull. The missiles were a mixture of types, some nuclear, some mounting plasma warheads, others more conventional shaped charges. Human tactics in the Dilgar war had favoured massive deployment of missiles and while Ferguson had far fewer Sagittarius class ships than his predecessor a decade and a half ago his fleet could still churn out tens of thousands of weapons.

They began firing in stages, the capital ships first with the Novas popping a steady ripple from their flanks and Hyperions opening their bow torpedo tubes. For now the Sagittarius class held their fire, Ferguson saving them for a more critical moment.

As expected most of the missiles did not come close, but with the escorts deployed to the flanks it was up to the Sharlins themselves to handle the missile storm. They did so without particular difficulty but as Ferguson had hoped by engaging the missiles the amount of fire the fleet received dropped substantially. It bought the EA fleet time and distance.

Sinclair watched the missile waves for a few moments, the grey tubes pushed on blue fire cruising past in successive waves ending in brief explosions. The missiles were doing their job, now it was the turn of the fighter wings to do theirs.

“Ghost two, Ghost lead, I have enemy fighters ahead.”

“Confirmed.” Lieutenant Mitchell answered, Sinclair’s wingman and old friend. “Data looks clean.”

“Clear as crystal.” Sinclair broke a smile, his targeting computer showing the Minbari ahead of him in perfect detail. It was glorious to see, the Minbari were so confident they weren’t even taking evasive action. “This is it, pick a bandit and break on my mark.”

The squadron marked their targets, Sinclair’s targeting computer beeping for a few seconds as it bounced a signal off the Warspite taking telemetry from the battleship’s superior sensors. The moment was incredibly tense as the guns tracked, taking an apparent eternity before he heard that magical droning tone in his headset signalling he had weapons lock.

“Ghost Riders, break and attack!”

That first salvo was catharsis on a biblical scale, a sudden leveling of the scales and wiping out the overhanging humiliation of the defeat at Cyrus. The sense of relief, of exhilaration as fighter after fighter achieved weapons lock overwhelmed any sense of fear or trepidation, the beeping of the sensor locks a joyful chorus. Any doubts evaporated in that one moment, in less time than it took to depress the trigger. In that moment it stopped being a slaughter and became a war.

The leading Minbari squadrons, outnumbered and not manoeuvring might as well have been target drones. None of them made it past the initial exchange, the pilots caught out of position and unable to respond to the sheer volume of gunfire that swamped them. Crystal fractured in glittering showers, beautiful sparkles of refracted light tainted with smoke. The follow up squadrons were smarter taking instant evasive action and throwing themselves into the fight without dwelling on disbelief.

Sinclair banked tightly into a full thrust turn, forcing through the g forces to keep his eye on a blue cone darting past. His threat indicators were blaring, someone somewhere was trying to kill him and he would have to trust Mitchell to deal with it.

He performed an evasive half role, changing direction but always staying near his target, targeting systems beeping as they sought a solid lock. He could see the twisting Nial but still had to get it in front of his guns, which given the speed of the Minbari fighter wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

There was a flash behind and to his right, a few pulse shots raced past and his threat indicators fell silent confirming Mitchell had destroyed the pursuer. Sinclair could now fly more aggressively, increasing thrust to close the range. The sky was flickering with explosions, the two groups of fighters tangling viciously. Many of those explosions were Starfuries, The Minbari fighter still proving lethal adversaries without stealth, but they were so heavily outnumbered and facing a well trained force eager for revenge they had no real chance.

Sinclair didn’t wait for the tone, he lined up a deflection shot as his target raced past, firing ahead of its path and letting the Nial and particle pulse rounds converge half a kilometre ahead of him with a satisfying flash of light. He raced past the fire, finding his sector now empty of Nials.

“I still have Minbari fighters above and to the right.” Mitchell stated. “Shall we intercept?”

“Leave it to the other squadrons.” Sinclair replied. “Reform and head for the main force, fly evasive and line up for some strafing runs.”

Sword of Valen

“What happened?” Neroon stormed forward for a closer look. “Our fighter compliment just dropped forty percent, fifty… sixty!”

“Confirm those reports.” Branmer ordered. “Show me.”

Neroon found an area of the battle and brought up an image, zooming in to show several Nials hopelessly fighting over two hundred Starfuries. They were picked off in seconds.

“How can this be? In the last battle our fighters decimated the enemy!”

“Because the humans could not hit them.” Branmer looked at other locations. “Look at them Neroon, they aren’t missing anymore.”

“They can’t have broken our stealth systems, no race has that technology.” Neroon shook his head. “The system has been perfect for centuries.”

“Clearly the situation has changed.” Branmer did not panic, he kept his tone even, unexpected events where almost certain in war. What mattered was how he handled th enext few minutes. “Pull back any remaining squadrons.”

“I don’t think we can, all fighters are heavily engaged and unable to withdraw. We only have a handful of squadrons left.”

“They broke our stealth systems.” Branmer remarked mainly to himself. “If their fighters can do it, so can their warships.”

Neroon looked at the massive rows of heavily armed warships, acutely aware that those guns were now pointing directly at them.

“Valen’s name.”

Most people would be forgiven for panicking. It would have been expected of any man faced with such a tremendous reversal to freeze to the spot or make a rash decision promoted by fear. Branmer did not.

“The mission has not changed.” He said. “All commands, our mission has not changed! We are still capable of winning this battle! Our objective remains to destroy the human capital ships. If we do that regardless of losses we can still cripple the human navy and we can still ensure our forces maintain the upper hand.”

“Shai Alyt, human fighter wings have broken through and are approaching from all directions.” Neroon reported anxiously. “Many squadrons appear to be armed with nuclear missiles.”

“Tighten our formation and bring the escorts in closer.” Branmer ordered confidently. “This is what our frigates are here for, hold off the human fighters while the battle line engages the human fleet. We are still capable of cutting them down in a matter of minutes! Their ships are still unable to survive a single direct hit from our weapons!”

“Human warships are beginning to alter formation, they are assuming firing positions.”

“Escort wings, I need five minutes.” Branmer asked firmly. “Whatever the cost I need five minutes.”

“By our lives and our deaths we serve.”

“This time, right now, when all seems lost, this is when we become true warriors!” Branmer slammed his fist into his hand. “This is our moment to honour the legacy of Valen and our forefathers. Increase speed, keep the jump engines primed. Target the largest class of Earth ship and fire every weapon we have!”

EAS Charlemagne.

“Well that let the cat out of the bag.” Ferguson observed, the red blobs representing Minbari fighter squadrons evaporating rapidly.

“They know we can see them.” Austin agreed. “Will they run?”

“Let’s help them decide. Paint them, arm all weapons and prepare to fire.”

The fleet went active, every ship using its targeting sensors though only a percentage could actually decipher any sensor returns from the Minbari. The information was shared, targets were marked, gun turrets tracked. Both fleets were on a collision course, the Minbari renewing their attack in a sweep of green energy. Several ships were hit this time, cracking apart as the Minbari accuracy improved.

“Range is still long but we have lock.”

“All ships commence firing.” Ferguson ordered. “Fire at will.”

Space turned into a hail of blue stars, uncounted thousands of energy bolts erupted from the human ships and raced towards the enemy, met in turn by green lances of energy heading the other way. Most of the shots were basic blue pulses, but a few were orange signifying more powerful Narn bought weapons.

The majority missed, the range was still long for human gunners, but they were near misses caused by target drift and the inherent inaccuracies of energy weapons, not by deception.

Two Sharlins broke, caught by a series of pulses that hammered them into shards, the proud ships dragged down by simple volume of fire. Most vessels began to absorb damage, the flagship shuddering under Branmer’s feet as it soaked up half a dozen hits from a Hyperion. His gunners were clever enough to cut the human cruiser from the sky before it marked his range and shared it with a Dreadnought buying them slightly more time.

Fires burned in the midst of both groups, warships fell away in ruins, the scales wavered in the balance.

“Alright, this is the time.” Ferguson opened his fleet wide communication channel. “Ripple fire, all remaining missile ships fire everything. Escort ships are released, advance at flank speed and hit them with everything we’ve got.”

“Watch that Corvette, twelve high!” Sinclair flipped his fighter over a hundred thousand ton lump of burning metal and crystal, elegantly side stepping disaster as he closed on a Tinashi class frigate.

“Delta flight, we see him, flying interference!”

The Warspite’s second squadron altered course and headed for the new target, drawing fire as the Ghost Riders went for the Minbari frigate. It was a large vessel and already pockmarked by glowing wounds where other squadrons had hit it. Despite this it was still throwing out plenty of fire and claiming a steady toll of Starfuries.

“We’ll make a high speed pass, knock out its bow guns.” Sinclair informed. “Beta squadron, once we’re done, nuke the bastard.”

“Roger that Ghost lead, we are five seconds behind you.”

“With me Ghosts.” Sinclair opened the throttle, his targeting system still receiving data with pinpoint accuracy from the Warspite. “Fire when you get a clean shot.”

They went in at full throttle, a risky move under any circumstances relying on speed to keep them safe. To hit their target they were going to have to get close, even with accurate data picking off individual systems on the hull of a ship was an art form requiring plenty of skill and practice to master.

The blue hull grew rapidly, Sinclair holding his nerve, regulating his breath, his mind focused entirely on the target and the closing range squeezing out any fear or concerns about mortality. The ship was still busy fending off a slower moving squadron that was circling it and pouring in weapons fire, shredding its unarmoured drive fins and distracting the crew. By the time they saw Sinclair they were already finished.

He held to the last second before firing, spraying pulses almost perfectly down the barrel of a neutron cannon as he flashed past its muzzle. It burst apart in a torrent of flame, his fellow squad mates ripping through the other forward mounted guns and carving into the weakened hull.

His fighters alone had no chance of breaching the hull, they simply didn’t have the firepower, fortunately his wing mates did. Sinclair skimmed the hull of the Minbari ship, breaking hard to avoid its aft guns and throw off the Minbari gunners. He was a tempting target and the odds were high that the Minbari ship would bring him down as he made his escape if Beta squadron made a mistake. Fortunately they did not.

A trio of nukes exploded with a brief white light, vaporising most of the front half of the ship. A few seconds later the gutted vessel immolated itself as the reactor went critical, the frigate burning away as the Earth fighters darted for safety.

“Good kill beta squadron!” Sinclair congratulated. “Prepare for a new target.”

“Enemy frigates above!” Mitchell warned. “They’re in tight formation, interlocking fields of fire.”

“Understood, give them a wide berth.” Sinclair ordered. “We’ll need some other fighters to take on…”

He was interrupted by a series of silent explosions, the Minbari frigates dissolving in massive plumes of fire as they came under intense gunfire.

“It’s a Wolfpack, Artemis Frigates!” Mitchell recognised. “Nice shooting!”

The blocky Earth Force rail gun frigates shifted targets, sweeping away the remaining Minbari escorts in this sector and freeing up the fighters.

“All squadrons, Warspite.” A fresh signal came in. “Break current engagement and attack the main battle line. Concentrate all remaining nuclear ordinance on the enemy battlecruisers.”

“Form on me.” Sinclair set the orders into motion. “Beta squadron stay close, let’s find you a nice fat target.”

The two core fleets were by now heavily engaged, each showing scars. The Dreadnought beside the Charlemagne had lost its entire right side but was still in formation displaying its legendary resilience, its left side guns still engaging. The Hyperions leading the formation were taking the worst of it, fifty of them were destroyed or disabled, but their loss had saved the more powerful Novas in the second wave and gave them their chance to get into optimal range.

The Minbari line was breaking, gaps were opening up. Most of the escorting frigates and corvettes were either destroyed or burning, they had held out to the last but were simply overwhelmed. Now squadrons of Starfuries engaged the line of Sharlins, punching missiles into the blue hulls and ripping through the powerful combatants. The Minbari were still fighting hard, still bringing down Earth force ships, but sheer mass was against them.

“Escort forces reduced to twenty percent!” Neroon called across the command room. “Enemy fighters are among the main fleet, we’ve just lost the Tilani to a concentrated nuclear strike.”

“We’re not causing enough damage.” Branmer gritted his teeth. “We haven’t even made it into optimum range yet, these fighters have ground us down before we had a chance to strike the core of the human fleet.”

The flagship jolted as a volley of missiles struck it.

“We spent too much time on the defensive, too much time intercepting missiles, then fighters, then missiles again. We were simply overwhelmed.”

“More fighters are inbound, thousands of them.” Neroon informed urgently. “Your orders Shai Alyt?”

“Nothing more is served here today by staying. Order all ships to jump.”

“We cannot retreat sir.”

“You will follow my orders!” Branmer snapped with uncharacteristic anger. “I will bear the shame of this decision, it is a small price to pay for saving thousands of lives.”

EAS Charlemagne.

“They’re breaking.” Austin watched with growing joy. “The fighter squadrons are hitting them hard, they’re fighting for their lives, fire against us is negligible.”

“Our fighters had orders to take out the Neutron guns first.” Ferguson smiled. “Pulled out the teeth on those big blue bastards.”

Ferguson took a final glance at the strategic picture, very pleased at what he saw.

“Alright, let’s end this. Order to all Dreadnought groups, cut forward thrust, rotate sixty degrees toward target. Standby saturation fire.”

“Moving into position.”

“Have all units clear our firing arcs.” Ferguson reminded. “In front of us is not a healthy place to be.”

The core of the fleet, the still largely intact Nova class battle line changed orientation. Instead of facing the Minbari nose to nose they swung into a broadside position to bring maximum firepower to bear, the guns on the far side of the ships rotating inwards to fire over the hull and between the near side turrets. As they did so the battered but valiant Hyperion groups withdrew to the flanks to give the Dreadnoughts a clear shot, the titanic pulse cannons lining up with deliberate, even malicious relish.

“All fighters, clear local airspace now!” The radios sang. “Get clear now, now, now!”

“Break contact!” Sinclair shouted, racing away from the burning Minbari line. “Get clear and wait for the fireworks!”

“Enemy vessels changing position!” Neroon reported swiftly. “Receiving multiple targeting signals.”

“Valen’s wrath, this is what they did to the Dilgar.” Branmer recognised the formation immediately, the massed rows of heavy guns all aligning on him. He knew exactly what was about to happen and he knew exactly what it meant for his fleet. Annihilation.

“Emergency jump! We’re out of time! Go now!”

He didn’t waste any time. The flagship opened a jump point as the human fleet opened fire, the massed broadsides from the Dreadnoughts every bit as terrifying as expected. The vortex opened as the shots raced towards them, the battered Shargotti accelerating away seconds before it would have been smashed.

Branmer’s order saved many ships, dozens of vessels made the jump, most of them carrying damage from the intense battle. Many others did not make it, either too slow to respond or too damaged to make the jump. The barrage from the Dreadnoughts ended the battle without ambiguity, blasting apart anything in their way like an avalanche clearing a path through what was left of the Minbari line. Nothing survived.

“They jumped!” Austin would have leapt from his chair had he not been strapped into it. “They ran!”

“Sons of bitches!” Ferguson snarled. “They robbed us of our kills!”

“We drove them off!”

“I should have had the Nemesis task force waiting for them in Hyperspace!” Ferguson snarled again “Dammit! Well like hell am I letting them get away!”

He opened a channel.

“All ships, recover fighters and prepare to jump in pursuit.”

“We actually won.” Austin beamed. “And we survived.”

“Some of us didn’t.” Ferguson reminded, his anger subsiding. “Minbari ships are faster than us, they’re going to reach Cyrus about seven to ten hours before we do. That’s time to set up a defence or more likely evacuate their forces and hunker down behind the border.”

“But we did drive them off sir.”

“We did, but right now they are telling their leadership we broke their Stealth systems. Next time they’ll be ready for us, we need to sweep these guys out of Cyrus before the Minbari bring more ships in from over the border. Then we can fortify and get ready to fight them on our terms.”

“It’ll be about ten minutes before our fighters are recovered.”

“Have the damaged vessels support the GROPOS as they retake the Colony, everyone else is coming with us.” Ferguson announced. “And before I forget get a signal to Beta Durani and let them know what happened. We’re not finished yet, but I suppose this is one hell of a start.”


	9. Chapter 9

9

Cyrus Colony.

“Time?”

“At most ten minutes.” Neroon answered. “Sensor buoys are already down.”

“How swiftly is the evacuation proceeding?” Branmer asked.

“Most of our key personnel are already clear. Unfortunately we’re not going to be able to evacuate our supply dumps.”

“Have the Ingata destroy them.”

“Understood.” Neroon grunted. “We only just refilled them after the last attack.”

“Fortunes of war Alyt. Better burnt to ash than held by humans.”

Neroon could see little fortunate in this battle. They were alive but had lost more than half their number and many ships that did survive were heavily damaged. The fleet that returned to Cyrus was battered and scorched, their hulls scored black by weapons fire and missing great chunks from their flanks. Most had damage to the poorly protected drive fins harming their mobility, several had been struck by massed pulse fire or missiles and were gnarled and torn. A couple were still burning, their crews too depleted to repair the damage.

They were a sorry sight, a defeated force and the humiliation was not done yet.

“The main batch of transports are clear.” Neroon reported sombrely. “We only have six left, they should be at the gate shortly.”

“I want all ships ready to jump.” Branmer said. “We’re in no position to take on the Earth fleet.”

“Our second fleet is standing by at the border to block any human attempts to cross into our space.” Neroon reported. “The Council is with them. They have requested your presence.”

“I’m sure their invitation was not so polite.”

“No Shai Alyt.” Neroon shook his head. “I think they will blame you for this.”

“It is the nature of government to shift blame. We lost because Earth gained an advantage and exploited it. We did the same thing earlier in the war, we inflicted a defeat which no doubt shook humanity to the core. They accepted the losses, adapted, and struck back hard. I only hope we do the same thing and do not allow wounded pride to dictate our strategy.”

“Will they appoint a new Shai Alyt?”

“Almost certainly.” Branmer nodded. “Sineval wants the job, but it will be over Coplann’s dead body. No, I’d expect they will give it to Shakiri.”

“Shakiri is more clever than Sineval.” Neroon agreed. “But he is still a Windsword and he has an uncompromising interpretation of honour. I do not think he will distinguish between warrior and civilian as you have.”

There was a gentle chime, both officers looking up at the curtain of images surrounding them.

“It appears our time is up. Withdraw by flotilla, launch missiles on the way out to slow the humans down.”

EAS Charlemagne.

“We’re in position Admiral, Captain Maynard reports Minbari forces are scattered and retreating.”

“Jump in with the lead elements.” Admiral Ferguson ordered. “Dreadnoughts front, jump in as close as we dare. We’ll try and bring some down before they bolt.”

This time the caution and need to weigh up the enemy were no longer needed, Ferguson knew what he was up against, he knew what the enemy could throw at him and he knew it wasn’t nearly enough to stop him. It was time to be bold, to hit the enemy with fury and firepower and try to finish off his wounded opponent. His fighter squadrons had done their bit, today he’d let his battleships draw blood.

The heavy warships surged forward, receiving their coordinates from Maynard’s scout mission. Each Dreadnought went in with a pair or corvettes for safety, the rest of the EA fleet close behind.

“Make sure the enhanced ships go in first.” Ferguson reminded. “Jump them straight into the action.”

The transition was quick, the Dreadnoughts knew where the Minbari were and jumped within a few hundred kilometres, their guns already tracking before they even left the vortex. Minbari missiles were launched to meet them, tremendously powerful weapons but few in number, barely target practice for the Olympus corvettes which swiftly went to work.

“Contact forward, Minbari in sight!” Commander Kawoo picked the three closest ships as the EAS Warspite blazed out of hyperspace, the brutal looking warship fully prepared to live up to its appearance.

“Lock main cannons, fire as they bear!” Captain Black replied sharply. “All ahead flank, do not let them run!”

The Minbari were powering up to jump but with the EA ships jumping out almost on top of them the few moments they needed to activate their drives, create a vortex and cross the event horizon gave Earth a free shot. It was a very brief window, but fortunately for Earth there was no ship in service that could fill such a fleeting moment with more hurt and pain than a Nova with a target in its firing arcs.

The Warspite unloaded into the nearest ships, engaging a battered Sharlin and three Frigates. It wasn’t even a contest, the semi automatic rail guns went through the Minbari ships without even slowing down, carrying thousands of tons of debris with them as the exited their targets. She put nearly a hundred rounds through the Minbari ships in less than three seconds, at the end of that time there was nothing resembling a warship left.

Not to be outdone the EAS Nemesis was also neck deep in pieces of blue hull, blasting pulses in every direction in a spectacular display of violence, wreathing the ship in flames and shimmering crystal fragments. Two dozen Dreadnoughts turned everything in range into scrap in just seconds. The pure scale of the destruction was extraordinary, the speed with which a further forty ships were simply erased from existence was genuinely blood chilling.

Further out the remaining Minbari ships made the jump, deploying countermeasures as the remaining Earth ships arrived to decoy the volley of missiles Ferguson fired at them through the red tumult. It was a gamble, the Minbari were using a different beacon and were at extreme range for hyperspace, none of the missiles hit and Ferguson wasn’t about to chase them over the border.

“They were ready for us.” Commander Austin exhaled. “Looks like they evacuated most of the colony too.”

“A shame, but I suppose this isn’t the moment to complain.” Ferguson said. “We hit those ships hard, I doubt they’ll be back in action for months. Deploy in guard formation, if I were the Minbari I’d start launching spoiling attacks straight away.”

“Sending out the orders sir.”

“Then tell the army to move in, if there are Minbari still down there we’ll have to weed them out.”

“The Normandy was holding a few minutes behind us, I think they were crawling the walls in there expecting to hit Jericho.”

“Now they’ll get their chance on Cyrus.” Ferguson shrugged. “Break them out and get them planetside.”

“Admiral.” The communications officer interrupted. “Sir, I have a signal coming in from Geneva. It’s the President.”

“And I thought only bad news travelled fast.” Ferguson chuckled. “I’ll take it in the briefing room, keep me informed of any changes Commander.”

“I suppose this counts as a victory.” Austin observed. “People are going to be happy.”

“I think we’ve earned it.” Ferguson agreed. On the main plot the sensors showed clearly the debris field left behind by the Fourth Fleet weeks earlier, the cold graves of thousands of his friends and colleagues. “But we’re still nowhere close to being even.”

Earth

“The initial reports are better than we could have hoped for. Far better.”

Vice President Karl Durban lay the file down on his table with a deliberate whack, the soft card jacket making a suitably satisfying sound. It was perhaps the first report he’d read that hadn’t darkened his mood, the first indications of an upswing in fortune.

Naturally Durban wasn’t about to break out the champagne just yet, but it did offer a ray of hope in an otherwise bleak future. Durban had been one of Earth’s best spies, one of only a handful to outwit the legendary Centauri Secret Service in the field before eventually finding himself promoted to Chief of the Earth Intelligence Agency. Under his stewardship the EIA fashioned itself into an even more formidable instrument of human security, it’s track record in the Dilgar war speaking for itself.

Not long afterwards Durban had followed in the footsteps of many Intelligence Chiefs and stepped into politics rather easily winning nomination to sit in the Senate on behalf of his native Australia. He’d risen swiftly to the cabinet until selected by President Levy as her running mate and later Vice President, a role he saw as practice for the Presidency itself.

Assuming of course there was an Earth left to preside over.

“We achieved a better than even loss ratio, even our most optimistic assessments believed we would still suffer in the face of the Minbari.” He remarked to his quest. “The Joint Chiefs are ecstatic.”

“They should allow themselves a little relief, this victory will certainly be great for morale and will boost our reputation abroad.” The guest agreed. “But we both know the odds of us winning this war are still against us.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not.” Durban considered. “Now we can see them we can hit them.”

“And they can still hit us too, from greater range with greater accuracy. We won these battles because we achieved complete tactical surprise, the Minbari had no idea we could do this, they weren’t prepared. Next time they will be.”

“I think so too.” Durban manoeuvred towards the point of this little meeting. “Which is why we need to make sure that our fleets have every advantage. Like you.”

Akira Hamato managed a very, very faint smile, about the closest anyone outside his close family ever witnessed as a display of emotion.

“For a spy master you are not very subtle.”

“Only when I need to be. You knew exactly what this meeting was about long before you stepped on the plane, why try and hide it?”

“You have plenty of flag officers, good competent officers.” Hamato spoke flatly. “Ferguson is doing a fine job commanding the fleet, Denisov is also available after giving up his desk job. Why talk to me?”

“Because you have a name people know and respect.” Durban returned plainly. “You built a reputation in the Dilgar war, you fought hard battles against the best commanders the galaxy had seen. People who had crushed all resistance, annihilated thousands of ships and relentlessly conquered the League. Yet you beat them.”

“Not entirely.”

“No, not entirely.” Durban accepted. “Which brings us to the point.”

“When I resigned after the war it was not on good terms. I’m surprised the government let me keep my pension.”

“You did make a bit of a scene on galaxy wide media. You can’t expect the government to tolerate that sort of insubordination.”

“It was perhaps fortunate my daughter persuaded me not to commit Seppuku.”

“I expect it would have been hell to get the stains out of the carpet.”

The former Admiral remained silent for a moment, clearly contemplating this new sequence of events. For him the Dilgar war had been a betrayal, even with the Dilgar victory at Balos it was obvious they were broken and cracking. They could not sustain a war any further, if Earth had rearmed, regrouped, replaced her losses and hit back four or five months later it would have been a straight run to Omelos. But doing so would have condemned hundreds of thousands of soldiers to death on Balos under the Dilgar siege. Hamato was prepared to make that sacrifice for final victory, President Hauser and the Senate were not, especially with a very appealing Dilgar armistice before them.

“The President may have changed, but most of the cabinet voted for the armistice. Why would they want me back?”

“Because you remain the best Admiral we have.”

“Admiral Ferguson…”

“Is a great commander and will remain Admiral of the Fleet.” Durban affirmed. “But everyone knows he’s as good as he is because you taught him the game, along with almost all our other senior officers. They are products of the Dilgar War Navy, and that Navy was built in your image. They still call you the Father of Earth Force, you made the modern military, you and Denisov. The Nova Dreadnoughts, the new generation Furies, the doctrine that goes with them, this was yours.”

“The fleet has moved away from my doctrine, after I left the senate retired most of the missile cruisers and rail gun ships I wanted.”

“They’re being reactivated.” Durban smiled slightly. “Along with any prototype, limited run ship and half serviceable wreck we can stick a cannon on. The Joint Chiefs are partying right now but they know this is going to be a war to the knife, worse than the Dilgar. What’s happening now makes the mobilisation we had for the Dilgar look like a school trip. We have ships, we have skilled officers, we are training crews, but we need someone to be the face of the new Navy.”

“And you are looking at me?”

“It isn’t just public relations, though that is a big part of it. No one is going to be happy serving on a ship dragged out of mothballs or sent into battle still smelling of paint and grease, but they’ll be a hell of a lot happier if they know they have an Admiral like you calling the shots.”

“And from a practical point of view you need someone with experience training and organising an untested fleet.”

“Precisely.” Durban nodded. “The standing fleet isn’t a worry, they know their stuff, but the secondary fleets are either raw recruits or reservists who have been out of the loop too long. In a perfect world we’ll never need them, the front line units will handle everything. But you know as well as I do that losses are going to skyrocket in the next couple of weeks and we’ll need to throw more ships into battle. You can give them a better chance of making it home again.”

“What does the President think about this?” Hamato asked. “She was Hauser’s protégé, I can’t see her being too thrilled.”

“President Levy understands the necessity.” Durban replied. “She’ll take anything which gives us an edge.”

The old Admiral grew slightly more dour, which was something of an achievement.

“Speaking of dealing with the devil.” He dropped his voice. “I’ve heard rumours.”

“Still have friends in high places?” Durban snorted. “The Old Boys Network was always the best source of intelligence.”

“Don’t derail the discussion.” The Admiral pressed. “Did you make a deal with Deathwalker for these advanced sensors?”

“No.” Durban answered.

“No?” Hamato repeated.

“You asked a question, that is the answer.”

“I know you were a spy, and that you are a politician, but I want a better answer than that.”

Durban leaned forward, his eyes suddenly animated. “Alright, yes we did make a deal with the Dilgar, no, it wasn’t Deathwalker but only a fool would suspect she didn’t have her hand in it. No, I don’t give a damn if she is pulling our strings because this deal might save our species.”

“I see.”

“With all due respect Admiral I know this game a lot better than you do, there is no way this deal came our way right when we needed it most without some sort of price tag.” Durban grunted. “There’s a lot more at work here, but I officially don’t care. At this point if Deathwalker wanted to put a leash on my neck and make me beg for treats I’d do it if it gave our navy a chance to win this war, because before the Dilgar showed up we were losing hard.”

He crossed his arms, bleeding off his temper.

“I don’t care if you approve or not, I will handle the Dilgar and their schemes, you get back in uniform and get our second line forces into a fit enough shape so they aren’t just lambs to the slaughter.”

“Alright.” Hamato said without further discourse. “But I know the Dilgar, they are playing us.”

“Almost certainly.” Durban agreed. “But just like you built the fleet, I built our intelligence network. Trust them to do their job as well as we trust your people to do theirs.”

“Very well.” Hamato inclined his head. “What is my next move.”

“I already have a ship waiting to take you to Proxima.”

“You must have been very confident I would accept your proposal.”

The Vice President half smiled.

“I didn’t get to where I am without knowing how to read a person. You are a man of duty, even when that duty seemed to abandon you, you did not abandon it. Your fleet will be waiting for you along with all the information and clearances you’ll need. Welcome back to the Force Admiral.”

“One condition. I want to pick my own Captain.”

“Someone in mind?”

This time Hamato really did smile.

“One name suggests itself.”

Somewhere in Minbari space.

“Summoned, I stand before the Nine.”

Branmer didn’t flinch, whatever was about to happen he was utterly resolute in his choices, fully accepting of the consequences. The Council was going to crucify him and he would let them, compared to the alternative of losing the lives of everyone in his fleet this was a tiny price to pay.

“Branmer of the Family Mir, Star Riders clan.” Jenimer began, his voice bearing the authority of his rank. “You are called to answer your actions. Also present is Neroon of the Star Riders who will serve as witness.”

Neroon was far less comfortable, positively seething with rage at this apparent injustice.

“Branmer, by your own report you admit to losing more than half of your fleet.” Jenimer continued. “You also accept that you withdrew from all human territory we had previously seized, and further allowed some of our installations to fall into human hands.”

“The last is not accurate, I ordered the facilities destroyed.” Branmer clarified. “The rest is accurate, I offer no denials.”

“Do you wish to speak in your defence?”

“My report has all the relevent information. I have nothing further to say.”

“Shai Alyt?” Neroon frowned angrily, the older Minbari subtly shaking his head. It was not the time or place for an argument.

“Then the Council will decide what is to be done.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Morann scoffed loudly. “Branmer has failed spectacularly as a war leader! This is what happens when priests lead fleets!”

“It is not as if your choice did much better.” Coplann shot back.

“At least he had the common decency to die with his ship, not flee for home!”

Neroon started forward, again forcing Branmer to check him from laying into Morann and causing more trouble.

“It is customary for Minbari Warriors never to flee, to fight and die if necessary despite great odds.” The Shai Alyt spoke up. “But I ask what good is a dead soldier when we need living warriors? What use is a ship destroyed in a hopeless fight when it can be saved, repaired, then used again in a more advantageous battle?”

“You dare question our traditions priest?” Morann growled. “You dare belittle our honour?”

“What you call honour I call short sightedness.”

Morann began to turn a deep shade of red, Neroon glaring at him, daring him to lose his temper.

“This is preposterous!”

“Retreat is not dishonourable if it is not done out of fear.” Branmer clarified. “Withdrawing from battle is a strategy, no more or less honourable than a flanking attack or forced march. It is a tool to be used, a mere tactic, it has no greater significance than that. If it serves a better purpose why should we refuse to embrace it?”

“You are talking heresy!”

“Then perhaps heresy is needed!” Branmer declared loudly. “Perhaps it is time the Warrior Caste removed itself from the cycle of being bound by traditions and looked beyond itself. You may speak of tradition, but tradition does not deflect plasma fire or vaporise enemy ships!”

“Neither does running away!”

“No, but it does preserve our strength so we may return another day with more ships and just as importantly more veteran crew than we would otherwise have.”

“Neroon.” Jenimer shifted his focus. “You are a respected warrior, a student of Durhan, there is no one here who would question your credentials.”

“Alyt Neroon's ability is not in question.” Morann stated quickly. “It is Branmer who…”

“If I may continue.” Jenimer chided. “Alyt Neroon, in your assessment did the Shai Alyt make the correct decision?”

“The situation was against us.” Neroon looked around the circle, the illuminated figures silent as he spoke. If anything this was more intimidating than facing a thousand Earth Dreadnoughts. “The enemy struck with massive force on favourable terms. Somehow it appears they have broken our stealth systems.”

“How is this possible?”

“I do not know, but it is fact, I witnessed it myself. Given the enemy strength, their superior position and numbers, if we had stayed we would have been wiped out without significantly weakening the human fleet. It would have been a total defeat.”

“So you admit Branmer failed in his position?” Morann demanded.

“There is no warrior who could have won that battle.” Neroon returned forcefully. “And there is no warrior who could have extricated as many ships as the Shai Alyt did from that disaster. Instead of accusing him of incompetence you should be praising him for showing such insight and control of his forces!”

“Then perhaps it was not incompetence. Perhaps it was cowardice.”

“Enough!” Jenimer banged the tall staff of the Council leader on the metal floor, the sound deafening in the chamber. “Dukhat would not tolerate such insults, do not assume I will either! Neroon’s testimony is accepted.”

“If I may make one more comment?” Neroon addressed Jenimer.

“Speak.”

“I was not convinced Shai Alyt Branmer was the best choice for the role. When I was assigned I was sceptical of following a scholar rather than a veteran warrior. However I have learned that this is not a war of simple warriors but one of thinkers and scholars. As Valen was both scholar and warrior I say do not judge Branmer by what was lost but by what was preserved.”

“Would you follow him again?” Jenimer asked. “Even after this defeat?”

“To the surface of Z’Ha’Dum and back.”

“So noted.”

Jenimer stepped back towards the circle of light that marked his place in the circle.

“We will vote. Those who wish to retain Branmer as Shai Alyt, be known.”

Most of the lights went out, only Coplann and Delenn remained illuminated along with Jenimer himself.

“The Council has decided. Branmer of the Family Mir you will step down from the post of Shai Alyt.”

“I accept the judgement of the Council.”

“We must now decide upon a new Shai Alyt, and what punishment if any to assign you.”

“Given the lack of judgement shown by my fellow Satai,” Morann glared at Coplann. “I suggest the new Shai Alyt be from the Windsword clan.”

“The first Shai Alyt of the war was too, do you remember him Morann? He managed to lose the Black Star!” Coplann sneered. “Do not act as if your clan has a spotless record.”

“Rather than turn this into yet another chapter in the rivalry between your to clans,” Delenn interrupted. “Is there a leader from one of the other warrior houses we can summon?”

“Only Althain of the Nightwalkers commands the respect and power necessary to lead.” Branmer answered. “And sadly Althain is a master of ground combat. What is needed is a leader who has studied space combat.”

“The Star Riders nominate Alyt Neroon.” Coplann announced.

“Neroon is acknowledged as a worthy warrior, but with respect he does not have the experience needed for a task of this importance.” One of the Worker class stated. “In time perhaps, but if the situation is as dire as it seems we need a skilled and experienced leader at once.”

“Sineval would be…” Morann began.

“If you wish to continue walking you will stop yourself from finishing that sentence.” Coplann sneered.

“Then I suggest Shakiri.” Jenimer offered. “As I understand it he is a skilled warrior well learned in the art of starship combat, he is not so… inflexible shall we say, as Sineval, but he is still a Windsword. Does this meet your approval?”

Morann nodded. “The Windswords approve.”

Coplann also nodded, less enthusiastically. “The Star Riders reluctantly approve.”

“Any objections?”

None of the Council made comment.

“Then Shakiri will be promoted to Shai Alyt.”

“Very well.” Morann accepted. “What is to be done with Branmer?”

“It would be unwise to cast aside such a source of wisdom.” Coplann defended his kinsman. “While he may not lead our fleets he has skills we need. He should not be sent back to the temple.”

“You suggest a lesser role for him?” Jenimer inquired.

“With recent losses we are being forced to reactivate many of our older ships. As you know the Warrior Caste forms the main offensive element of our combat strength, but each of the three castes has its own forces used for patrol and defence. We have begun taking these workers and religious caste crews from their lesser roles and placing them into the reactivated ships where they will form a reserve.”

“But while these crews know how to operate their ships they do not have the knowledge of warfare we possess.” Neroon recognised Coplann’s plan. “They would require a teacher, someone both warrior and scholar.”

“Someone who had already made the transition from one of the other castes into being a warrior.” Jenimer nodded. “A wise use of resources. Shall we assign Alyt Branmer to administer the training and organisation of our reserve forces?”

Only Morann predictably objected.

“Then it is done. Branmer will assume command of the reserve fleet. Neroon, you will join Shakiri as his aide.”

“With respect I prefer to stay with Alyt Branmer.”

Jenimer frowned.

“Shakiri is now Shai Alyt, serving with him is a clear way to gain fame and glory.”

“But not wisdom. For that I must follow a different leader.”

“As you wish. Leave now, turn to your duties. We will summon Shakiri and see where the universe leads us next.”


	10. Chapter 10

10

Quadrant 7

Narn/Drazi border

The Narn Colony was relatively sparse, a single domed outpost with a token population. The military outnumbered the civilians by a significant margin with the space station above heavily armed and filled with soldiers and fighter bays offering only scant facilities to travellers and traders. It didn’t matter much, beside the military no one really came out here.

The reason could be summed up in one word. Drazi.

Relations between the Narn and Drazi had been strained for a long time ever since first contact when the expansionist and aggressive Narn had bumped up against the stubborn and equally aggressive Drazi. While both sides avoided full scale war border skirmishes were a frequent occurrence with neither side displaying a clear superiority, the only real movement on the border came when the Narn seized a handful of worlds and outposts from the Drazi at the height of the Dilgar war, an act which backfired slightly when the Dilgar struck a captured world regardless of ownership and massacred thousands of Narn.

The Narn government had swept that under the carpet at the time in return for technology and resources from the Dilgar who were happy to oblige. It was an open secret that the Narn had collaborated with the Dilgar and sold them a lot of weaponry including mass driver components taken from Centauri depots. As an added insult the Narn had not returned most of the outposts taken from the Drazi at their moment of greatest weakness, an act of treachery that sent the average Drazi into an apoplectic rage.

Quadrant 7 therefore remained fairly barren, the site of simmering tensions and countless minor battles. It was therefore not unusual to see a Drazi fleet arrive in combat formation, several squadrons of Sunhawks swooping around to approach the Narn station dominating the approaches to the colony.

But this time no gunfire rose to meet the Drazi strike ships, nor did the Narn cruisers move to respond. Most of the Narn ships were sluggish elderly assault cruisers but loitering on the far side of the station were a pair of gleaming and garish G’Quan class heavy cruisers, the new pride of the Narn fleet. Ships of that type rarely deployed away from the Centauri border, their presence was just one more indicator of unfolding events.

The Drazi fleet settled into a wary holding pattern near the station, the Narn keeping an equally wary eye on them. Neither side had weapons armed but they maintained a combat posture ready to break into violence at the first sign of trouble. A single shuttle exited the Drazi flagship, the closest thing the Drazi fleet had to a cruiser and still dwarfed by the G’Quans on station nearby, and landed in the civilian bay.

Neither side really trusted each other, meetings like this were rare and usually ended in at the very least punches being thrown. The last attempt at a summit had cost the Narn three cruisers and nearly triggered an all out war, subverted only by Centauri manoeuvres necessitating the Narn navy stay on the border.

For the two governments to meet face to face in spite of all the mistrust, the bad blood, the shared penchant for rapidly losing their tempers, it was a sign of how seismic events in the galaxy had become.

The Drazi commander arrived with only two guards, a pair of warriors flanking him and surveying every inch of the journey. Both guards were clearly veterans, their bony heads notched from gladiatorial bouts and front line combat service. They walked as if they knew they could take this station alone if they had to, and perhaps they were right.

Between them walked the focus of this meeting, an individual the Drazi had elevated to near legend. Warleader Stro’kath was everything a Drazi should be, a man who preferred to let actions do most of his expressing and had proven a very fluent communicator. He was regarded as the saviour of his people, the man who had turned back the Dilgar and liberated Drazi space. He had taken on politicians and his own incompetent superiors and he had cast them down in true Drazi style, by hitting them until their eyes bled.

With his war record, his untarnished reputation as a fighter and his surprising eloquence and insight when it came to diplomacy Stro’kath commanded respect and obedience like no other. A rare achievement indeed for a race as divided and argumentative as the Drazi.

To meet him the Narn had sent their own rising star, someone who could also speak with eloquence and who could navigate the treacherous waters of diplomacy with confidence, but also somoene who wouldn’t really be missed if Stro’kath decided to just stab him. Given their topic of conversation that was a very real possibility.

“You are G’Kar?” Stro’kath wasted no breath on pleasantries.

“I am.” The much taller Narn introduced himself. “On behalf of my government I welcome you to this facility and…”

“Why don’t we just get on with it?” The Drazi pushed.

“Very well, direct to the point I see.” G’Kar smiled broadly. “Your reputation proceeds you, shall we?”

They stepped out of the docking bay and entered a drab corridor. While the station had simulated gravity it was clearly built on the cheap. Even Earth Force stations were more welcoming than this.

“I have a lot of things to do.” Stro’kath growled. “The only reason I am here is because your government said it involved my missing fleet.”

“Yes, the ships you were sending to aid Earth. They would have been very useful I am sure.”

“Do you know something about them?” Stro’kath put a hard edge in his voice. He wasn’t young, by Drazi standards he was in advanced middle age, but he was still an incredibly intimidating presence by anyone’s standard.

“I wish I did.” G’Kar offered, remaining entirely calm as he reached their destination.

“Then if you have nothing to tell me why am I here?”

“Because it wasn’t the Narn government that wanted to speak with you.”

Only one person was waiting in the conference room, standing behind a long table with the same confidence of command Stro’kath possessed, the ease of a person who had faced death on a massive scale and survived. Stro’kath’s two guards instantly tensed as they saw the dark blue of a Dilgar uniform, the old warleader subtly indicating they should stand down. It wasn’t a trap, it was certainly a surprise, but it wasn’t treachery. Not this Dilgar.

“Supreme Warmarster Dar’sen.”

“Warleader Stro’kath.”

Both of them stood at the opposite ends of the table motionless, eyes locked, weighing up the situation. G’Kar fidgeted slightly beside Stro’kath keenly aware that the Drazi leader was carrying more knives and blades than a decent sized kitchen. Putting a man who made his name killing Dilgar, the race that had tried and nearly succeeded in exterminating his species, in the same room as the current leader of that same race constituted a gamble of explosive proportions.

G’Kar wasn’t entirely comfortable with it, but recognised the potential benefits to his career if things went well.

For his part Dar’sen was calm, his face more lined and hair going white. It had been a long time since he had led forces in battle, like Stro’kath they were old soldiers now running their respective nations seperated from the blood and fire which had made them. Of all the Dilgar Dar’sen was generally seen as the superior warrior, most considered him a better fleet commander than even Jha’dur though he lacked her more devious qualities. He had fought with far less resources for far longer than Jha’dur had and never needed to resort to terror attacks or mass murder to achieve his goals, and his chief opponent in that time had been Stro’kath.

“I have said that I would kill anyone in this galaxy to have a chance to stand face to face with the hero of Omelos.” Stro’kath finally said. “That my greatest wish, the one thing I still want in life, is to face you in single combat to the death.”

G’Kar slowly began to back away.

“I was the last Warmaster to be inducted into the nobility by the Emperor.” Dar’sen answered calmly. “By the old code if you challenge me to a duel I must accept.”

“I have fought thousands of opponents, most of them I barely remember their names or faces. But you are the only one I never truly defeated. You are the only fight I never finished, and by far my favourite.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Dar’sen flickered a smile. “You were always a challenge Stro’kath, never boring.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” The Drazi grunted a laugh. “I will fight you, I know you are a trained duellist, I know that our battle will become a legend and I know that it will be my last fight. Even if I win I will never fight again in honour of that contest. But it will not be this day.”

He pulled out a chair.

“I am Drazi, I cannot deny it is in my nature to seek out battle with a worthy enemy and I know of none more worthy than you Warmaster. But I must also look to my duty. I came here for answers, looking for the truth about my lost warriors. If you know anything then I ask you to speak truthfully.”

Dar’sen sat down, Stro’kath doing the same and a very relieved G’Kar finding a spot between the two of them.

“Truthfully.” The Dilgar spoke. “I don’t know. I had ships in the area with orders to intercept your fleet and encourage them to turn back home.”

Stro’kath kept an even expression.

“Why?”

“Because if your ships had joined Earth at that time they would have been massacred. Sadly it appears they were anyway.”

“And if my ships had refused and tried to continue on? Would you have fired upon them?”

“My commander had orders not to.” Dar’sen said simply. “While there they detected debris, wreckage from your fleet. It appears they were destroyed.”

“So your fleet observed this but was not responsible?” Stro’kath narrowed his eyes. “While I trust you, I do not trust the others of your kind. Do you believe the word of your subordinates?”

“I’ve seen the data recordings.” He fished out a data crystal from his pocket and slid it over to Stro’kath. “it’s all on there, my ships didn’t fire.”

“So who did do it?”

“We detected Minbari ships in the area and assumed them at first, but it turns out they were just as surprised.” Dar’sen stated. “To destroy that many ships so swiftly and absolutely, if it wasn’t the Minbari I don’t think any other power has the capacity.”

“Who else is there?”

“I don’t know, but they clearly don’t want Earth to receive help and are willing to kill thousands to make sure of it.” Dar’sen informed. “And this is where we find ourselves holding something in common.”

The Drazi tilted his head in interest.

“We have not widely publicised this.” Dar’sen continued. “My government has been supplying technology to Earth. We gave them the means to defeat Minbari stealth and helped them fight back.”

“Something they have been doing well.” Stro’kath approved. “I am surprised though, Earth was the decisive factor in breaking your Empire. Why would you help them instead of celebrating their deaths?”

“Because while they did destroy the old empire they also delivered the new one. Earth forced the armistice on the League, made everyone sign the ceasefire and kept the Dilgar as a living race. If not for Earth we would have been exterminated, we both know this.”

“It is true.” Stro’kath admitted. “In our mind the war could only end in the bombardment of Omelos. The crimes of your people could only be paid for in blood.”

“Earth disagreed.” Dar’sen returned. “And so here I sit, leader of a small but proud nation trying to stand up again. But you are right, we aren’t helping Earth just for the sake of it, we want closer diplomatic ties.”

“Understandable.” G’kar stepped in. “The Dilgar are still pariahs. Apart from my government nobody has any real dealings with you.”

“For a time we accepted this, but the lack of trade and development is starting to bite. We can’t grow as a nation unless we return to the galactic community, but the stigma of the war prevents this.”

“Most of your people were monsters.”

“Most of my people are dead.” Dar’sen returned. “Those who aren’t are not monsters. They were hand picked to carry on our race in a changed galaxy, they are a new breed of Dilgar, children of a new philosophy. My philosophy. You know me Stro'kath, you know what I stand for. That is the world I am trying to make.”

“I sympathise, I faced similar difficulties trying to change how my people saw themselves during the war. Make them into better soldiers to defeat you.”

“And you succeeded.” Dar’sen agreed. “Now I’m trying to do the same thing, I think Earth is the key to that, they are the only ones to offer us the chance at being something better. But now there is a possibility they could be destroyed, and worse it seems anyone who helps them may be a target. That’s why we are meeting here, in part because the Narn are neutral and have contact with both our nations, but also because the Narn by selling weapons to Earth may be under threat themselves.”

“Whoever attacked your fleet is clearly trying to influence the war in favour of the Minbari.” G’Kar concurred. “But we don’t know who or why.”

“I have people looking into it.” Dar’sen informed. “But in the meantime we need to do something. I for one am not going to change my policy on helping Earth, but we are not strong enough to risk losses like the Drazi have suffered.”

“Whoever attacked us will pay.” Stro’kath promised. “It is not just an act of war, it is an attack on our honour, a denial of our chance to repay our debt to Earth.”

“We both owe Earth a debt.” Dar’sen agreed. “Which is why we should work together to pay it.”

Even with his usual mastery of playing politics G’Kar was taken by surprise at that one.

“Work together?” Stro’kath missed a breath. “Dilgar and Drazi?”

“Why not?” The Warmaster asked simply. “Are you going to let the war dictate our future? The Dilgar Imperium that committed atrocities against you is gone, those responsible dead mainly at your own hands. Those who remain are my people. Yes we fought each other, but it was a fair fight, an honourable fight. You have said that time and again yourself Stro’kath. You hated the butchers in my race and I don’t blame you, but you respected the fleet I led and built. Now I am asking you to respect my new command.”

“You are asking the impossible.”

“Have we ever violated the armistice?” Dar’sen demanded. “Have we crossed your borders? Raided your worlds? Have we ever broken our word?”

The Drazi exhaled.

“No.”

“There have been some who have wanted to, some see the hostility that is still directed at us and ask why shouldn’t we fight? Why shouldn’t we launch pre-emptive strikes at our enemies? Why not weaken them to preserve our borders? I know at least one of my commanders wanted to destroy your expeditionary fleet herself.”

“Herself?” Stro’kath growled. “I can guess who you mean.”

“I keep those people in check. It is not easy, even with the monsters mostly gone we are still a war like race, we are still a nation bred for battle and many of us see war as our first choice to solve disputes. When your fleet vanished almost the entire council wanted to exploit it, to hit you when you were weak, establish a buffer zone. But I gave my word. I signed a treaty. So instead I am here to ask for your help.”

“I respect you Warmaster, a title you have earned.” Stro’kath nodded. “But there is too much blood. We will never be allies.”

“That isn’t what I am asking.” Dar’sen stated. “All I ask is that your government recognise the sovereignty of the Dilgar Imperium and sign a peace treaty with us. Not an armistice, a peace treaty.”

“That would mean giving up our claim to the worlds your nation owns.”

“It would.” Dar’sen nodded. “But it would also stabilise your border with us and free up warships to send to Earth.”

“And in turn my government has authorised me to agree to Drazi demands to return several disputed colonies and agree to a fixed border.” G’Kar added. “Which again should free up ships for you to send elsewhere.”

“The Dilgar I can understand.” Stro’kath considered. “If we recognise you the rest of the League will be obliged to do the same. If the stubborn Drazi have agreed to this the others will be shamed into doing it too. But what do the Narn gain from this?”

“As the Warmaster said by associating with Earth we suddenly find ourselves on the same side facing the same enemy.” G’Kar clarified. “Your fleet was lost in Narn space yet we detected nothing. That could just as easily been one of our fleets, we would have no defence.”

“There’s more than that.”

“There is also the Centauri.” G’Kar sneered at the very mention of the name. “By normalising relations with the Drazi we can redirect ships toward Centauri space. We know you and the Centauri don’t get on, we should be united in our hatred!”

“We don’t hate the Centauri. We don’t like them, we fight them about as much as we do you and we’ve been killing them since your people were still farming. But we don’t hate them.”

“Never the less if the Centauri think we are moving closer together it will upset them. That was reason enough for most of the Kha’ri to approve. The rest were moved by the practical benefit of demilitarising our border, at least to a degree, so we can focus on our true enemy.”

“Ultimately we all want to see Earth win this war, or at least survive it.” Dar’sen observed. “For practical reasons and in our case as a matter of honour. If we do chose to continue offering direct support we may come under attack, if we are wanting the same thing and facing the same threat we should do so together even if It is behind closed doors. I’m not expecting miracles, I don’t expect to see a Drazi and a Dilgar shaking hands in my lifetime, but to make ourselves vulnerable to attack because of the past is foolish.”

Stro’kath stood.

“After reading the latest news from Earth perhaps this is the season of miracles.”

The Drazi Warleader extended his hand, the bony plates and strong tendons probably quite capable of crushing whatever bones were placed in their grasp. Dar’sen did not hesitate despite the obvious risk, standing and extending his own hand in the human custom.

“If any other Dilgar had tried to speak to me I would have ignored them, or beaten them until they cried.”

“And if it had been any other Drazi I would have expected a knife in the back as soon as I turned around.”

They shook hands firmly but respectfully, two equals divided by history but united in vision.

“My people adopted the custom of a hand shake after the war. It has symbolism, power.” Dar’sen remarked. “it was the gesture that birthed our new nation.”

“I remember shaking hands upon meeting Admiral Ferguson of Earth, a warrior who should also be stood with us.” Stro’kath added. “He called us the best of enemies.”

“Perhaps not forever.”

“Maybe.” The Drazi accepted. “I will sign the treaty. We will have peace and I will mobilise a force in case we are attacked. I intend to continue helping Earth, if we can count on the security of our borders we will try again.”

“And with the treaty signed my government will offer open aid to Earth following your example. Weapons, supplies, technology. If we both give aid whoever destroyed your fleet will have to deal with two nations. Three if the Narn step up their game.”

“The Kha’ri is prepared to do so.” G’Kar smiled. “This is a historic day, who would have imagined it would ever come to pass?”

“Extraordinary times.” Dar’sen agreed whole heartedly. “This may drag us into a war.”

“If war comes it is for the right cause.” Stro’kath smiled. “Standing with our old friends from Earth. In the end Warmaster I still wish to duel you, to know finally who is better, but before that day if the chance comes to fight side by side with you I will be a very happy Drazi.”

The summit meeting broke up amicably, Stro’kath leaving with an unusually pleasant disposition. Dar’sen also withdrew, heading home on his flagship which had been hidden behind the colony at the time of the Drazi arrival to avoid provocation. The station gradually went back to normal, very few of them recognising exactly what had transpired within its walls.

“That went better than expected.” G’Kar fell back into his seat within the now silent conference room. “We have so many jokes that begin ‘A Drazi and a Dilgar walk into a room’ that all end the same way. Broken bones and blood stains.”

“The Drazi are not unreasonable.” A voice emerged from a side door. “They are argumentative, irascible, prone to acting without thinking, but present them with a clear opportunity and they will jump like any other species. Especially if they have a leader who can see beyond the obvious flaws of his nature.”

Jha’dur sat down in the seat vacated by her fellow Warmaster, resting her hands on the desk.

“Peace between Dilgar and Drazi though?” G’Kar shook his head. “I thought I’d take afternoon tea with the Centauri Emperor before I saw that.”

“It isn’t a treaty between nations, it’s an agreement between two men who respect each other.” Jha’dur answered. “This could only be done by Dar’sen and Stro’kath and only because they trust each other. Ironic that the greatest of adversaries should get on so well, I doubt I would have had such a pleasant conversation with Admiral Hamato.”

“You’re not worried some lower Admiral or Captain will ignore this?”

“Not at all. On the Drazi side Stro’kath has given his word and no one in his nation would dare break it. It’s a sign of the reverence they hold him in, as I said no other Drazi could have done this. Even if they had wanted to only Stro’kath has the sort of power and respect for the Drazi to set aside their nature and obey him without question.”

“And your people obey Dar’sen in the same manner?”

“Not the same blind obedience, but he is respected enough for people not to question him. Besides, anyone who does jeopardise this arrangement will draw my ire.”

“An unhealthy circumstance as I understand.” G’Kar chuckled.

“To function as a nation we need international relations. We need to have normal diplomacy, acceptance.” Jha’dur stated. “It will take generations, nobody disputes that, but the hardest part was always going to be making that first step and opening the door for the first time. The war between Earth and Minbar gave us a common ground we could use. Dar’sen was wise to use it.”

“I had thought all this would be your idea?”

Jha’dur smiled.

“My idea was a bit easier, destroy a few thousand Drazi ships, blame the Minbari, offer to help them get even. Turns out somebody did that for us and Dar’sen suggested simply exploiting the truth.”

“So who did actually destroy that fleet?”

“I have no idea, but a few leads. There are some powers out there who seem to have helped the Minbari before and may be doing so again. It needs more investigation.”

“I never thought the Minbari needed much help.”

“Neither did I, but according to ISN they’ve taken quite a beating.” Jha’dur smiled. “Which is a little bit delicious. Is there anything more satisfying than seeing someone get what they deserve?”

“Careful, half the galaxy would say the same for you.”

“They’d be right too, I don’t deny it.” She shrugged. “But I’m a long way from finished yet.”

“So the Drazi sign a peace treaty with you, then what?”

“It legitimises the existence of the new Imperium, recognises our borders, our right of ownership over these worlds.” Jha’dur said. “And if the Drazi do it, the most vehement of our enemies, the rest of the League will too. The Abbai have sought this for a while but could never push it through against Drazi opposition. That is no longer an issue.”

“So you become a legally recognised nation, set up embassies, formal relations, perhaps trade?”

“I doubt the League will have much to do with us, but after recognition they can no longer try to prevent us trading with you or the Centauri. This is going to make us a lot richer and more independent, and of course you benefit too.”

“That was the deal.” G’Kar nodded firmly. “We play nice with the Drazi, help you gain your recognition, and in return we receive the same sensor technology Earth has.”

“A small price to pay.” Jha’dur accepted. “If the Minbari come for you now you can fight back. Of course it isn’t the Minbari I’d be worried about.”

“Our phantom fleet thrashers.”

“Well put.” Jha’dur smiled briefly. “But until we know more we can’t let fear dictate our actions. I’d say that was what our mysterious opponent wanted. I don’t react well to people trying to intimidate me. I’ve been told I have a problem with anger management sometimes.”

“I can’t imagine who would actually have had the courage to say that to you.”

She smiled again.

“We’ll speak again G’Kar after the various announcements. While this war the humans are fighting was unexpected it does help accelerate our plans.”

“Do you think they can win?”

“I’m not sure, but what I am sure about is that whether Earth survives or not they will take the Minbari with them. The Minbari need to make peace or at the end of the war they’ll find their homeworld an irradiated waste ground. One way or another.”

“You think Earth would do that?”

“Of course they would.” Jha’dur chuckled. “That’s why I like them so much.”

“I’m not sure if they’d appreciate that compliment.”

“It doesn’t matter. We need to position ourselves to benefit from however this war ends. Either with a strengthened Earth or a crippled Minbar. I’d prefer the former, but if it is the latter we can still profit G’Kar. We just have to be a little bit clever about it.”

Cyrus System

Two weeks after liberation

“We’ll rotate Tennant’s people out on the next supply run.” Admiral Ferguson rubbed his eyes as if to physically remove his weariness. “They’ve been deployed for over a month now, they need some real grav time. Have him take his fleet back to Durani for a week of shore leave.”

“He’ll insist on staying.” Commander Austin mentioned glumly. “You know what Joe’s like, he won’t want to miss the fun.”

“He’s no good if his crews are weakened by prolonged exposure to zero gravity and lack of rest. Make sure he knows it’s an order. Eighth Dreadnought group can replace him for a week.”

Ferguson no doubt expected the same thing was being said about him. The Charlemagne had been deployed since the war began over three months ago now and his own crews were approaching the limits of their expected endurance. They could fight for longer of course if they had to, they could stay out here permanently if that is what Earth Force required, but with things apparently quiet it was a good time to swap out some of the more tired crews for fresh ones.

Back home there was already a big push for negotiations to restart in the hope that the Minbari had now realised this wasn’t some cheap easy massacre but a true war. Earth had demonstrated clearly that they were not easy victims anymore and any attempt by the Minbari to reach Earth was going to be mired in blood and bodies. This time their own.

President Levy had set probes to transmit the offer of talks into Minbari space so the message was clearly heard. David Sheridan had also made it known throughout the League, Narn space and the Centauri Republic that Earth was open to a peaceful settlement and no further lives needed to be lost. So far no other nation had reported contact with the Minbari, even the brief line of communication provided by Representative G’Kar had dried up after the ambush on Epsilon Outpost.

The Minbari had gone very quiet, and while the more optimistic members of the Government believed they had knocked the fight out of the alien species Ferguson was far more wary about events.

“Anything on the latest scout reports?” The Admiral continued, his body aching after several hours of filing reports and shuffling timetables. He promised himself half an hour in the centrifuge afterwards to restore some feeling to his legs.

“Probes had nothing, and the Minbari still have a strong presence in hyperspace. If we try push a manned recon through it’ll get bloody.”

“Plus the President doesn’t want us to provoke the Minbari if they really are wavering.”

“Think they are wavering sir?” Austin asked.

“I doubt it, they’re licking their wounds, gathering their strength. We haven’t seen the last of them which is why we need to keep ourselves fresh.”

“I understand Admiral Hamato has been reactivated.” The Commander mentioned. “He’s taking over second line command which frees up General Denisov to relieve us.”

“Akira always put his duty first, even ahead of his own career.” Ferguson grunted. “Stubborn old bastard, but he knows his stuff. We’re lucky to have him.”

“Yes sir.”

“Are we still in orbital synch with the moon?”

“Yes sir, we’re orbiting Cyrus at the same rate as it’s moon. Should keep us sandwiched between the two bodies and secure two of our flanks.”

“Shield us from long range fire too. If I was a Minbari I’d be launching raids and trying to snipe us at range. If we can think of it so can they.”

“With respect sir, I don’t think they really see things like we do. Their tactics seem, well, a bit simple really.”

“They are, but we can’t rely on them always being simple. Plan for hard fight and be happy if it turns into a cake walk.”

There was a chime on his monitor fixed into the wall a few feet away. Despite being an Admiral’s cabin the quarters were still tiny, the price one paid for serving on a Dreadnought.

“Admiral, Conn.” The voice announced. “We just had some unscheduled jumps on the edge of the system. About a dozen.”

“Any transmissions?”

“Negative sir, we’re deploying scouts.”

“Set actions stations.” Ferguson ordered, grabbing the back of his bolted down chair and swinging for the door. “I’m on my way up.”

He was in the Control Room in less than a minute making the journey with practised speed despite his age. He pushed himself into the commanders chair and tightened the belts as he looked over the computer screens attached to the arm rests.

“No further contacts.” The sensor officer reported. “Whoever jumped in took cover behind one of the outer planets.”

“Civilians?” Austin asked.

“Unlikely.” Ferguson shook his head. “Who’s out there?”

“29th Frigate group.”

“Tell them to keep their distance.” The Admiral warned. “They are to double back at once if they encounter resistance.”

“Yes sir.” The Commander relayed on the order. “All fleet ships report ready, Furies are on the racks and ready to launch.”

“Get the alert fighters up, hold the rest until we know it’s not a false alarm.”

On his word Starfuries began to launch, leaving their parent ships in steady rows before breaking into loose combat formations, the classic four ship element dating back centuries. The various combat groups also began to disperse, standard procedure when facing Minbari. Earth scientists were working on a way to inhibit jump points so the Minbari could not use them as a weapon to gouge through Earth Force formations but until that time fleets simply had to spread out and keep their fingers crossed. At least now with the new sensors Earth Force could return the favour.

“Scout group reporting.” One of the officers called. “Minbari fighters sighted.”

“Fighters don’t jump in alone.” Ferguson grimaced. “Pull those ships back a safe distance, tell them to standby for further orders.”

“Aye sir.”

Ferguson looked over the map of the system, Cyrus wasn’t a huge place but the Minbari ships were still well outside even their impressive firing range. They were however close enough to scan his fleet and relay jump co-ordinates to their allies.

“Launch all remaining fighters.” He ordered. “All ships will move ahead flank speed, clear this area.”

“Admiral, tachyon distortion!” The sensor officer called. “Jump points, multiple, fifty plus!”

“Where?”

“Five light seconds sir.”

“Really?” He paused. “That’s well out of range…”

space illuminated for a few moments as dozens of jump points opened far beyond the EA positions, each vortex allowing a group of tall Minbari warships to enter. The fleet was a little more balanced than previous forces, there was less emphasis on the heavyweight Sharlin cruiser and a more even distribution of types and roles. They took the time to form up in a standard combat formation and promptly halted.

“Minbari fleet confirmed, about eleven hundred ships.”

“Twice what we faced at Jericho.” Ferguson mused. “What are they doing?”

“Nothing sir, holding position.”

“The Minbari don’t have any weapons that can hit us this far out do they?” Austin checked.

“Not even close.” The Admiral replied. “Cut velocity to one quarter standard, turn us about to face them.”

The fleet wheeled in formation, the block of grey metal facing off against the waves of blue crystal separated by a vast expanse of blackness.

“So what’s their game?” Ferguson considered the data. “No element of surprise, with that many ships I doubt he left any in reserve to jump us. Why commit forces but leave them so far from effective combat range?”

“Maybe he’s trying to provoke us to come after him?”

“Maybe, he’s in open space, we can’t use terrain to mask our approach. He can exploit his range advantage no matter what direction we move in from. He’s probably got scouts in hyperspace to warn him if we try a jump point attack, give him time to disperse.” Ferguson nodded. “But he's got to be pretty damn optimistic if he thinks we’re just going to sail neatly toward him like a damn shooting gallery.”

“Our new sensors have a pretty effective jamming mode.” Austin noted. “It should disrupt his long range fire quite a bit.”

“It would, plus we have our older countermeasures, chaff, decoys. But even so it’s a long way to go. We could make it into range and probably have enough ships to win, but that’s a lot of Minbari. It’ll cost us a thousand ships to get in close.”

“Fighter strike?”

“They’ll be waiting for it, see how he hasn’t launched his own fighters yet?” Ferguson noted. “Same story, it’s like advancing over open ground into a nest of machine guns. We got past that in World War One.”

The older Admiral shook his head.

“No, we’ll make him come to us. Force him to abandon his position.”

“How sir?”

Ferguson smiled broadly.

“Murphy.”

Beta Durani

John Sheridan snapped a clean salute as his wait finally ended, he and a small group of other officers standing opposite the entrance to the docking bay on Beta Prime. They had been waiting four days for their new assignment, told only to expect their new commanding officer within the week. They hadn’t been told who that officer would be and found themselves rather pleasantly surprised.

Admiral Hamato answered the salute formally. “At ease.”

“Commander John Sheridan reporting as ordered sir.”

“Very good Commander, this is your command staff from the Lexington?”

“They are sir, finest officers in the fleet.”

“Their actions against the Black Star and her would be rescuers speak for themselves.” Hamato agreed. “The Lexington is still in dry dock, I know that you were all eager to return to her after her refit but fate has opened a new door for you. I am assigning you to my command, you will be the bridge staff on my new flagship. It may not be exactly what you were expecting but I trust you will all take to this assignment with the enthusiasm and skill you displayed aboard the Lexington.”

“We will sir.” Sheridan affirmed, Lieutenant Commander Carroll looking slightly less sure.

“I have confidence you will. Commander Sheridan, walk with me. Everyone else retrieve your gear and be prepared to leave at sixteen hundred hours. Dismiss.”

They did as instructed, fading into the network of corridors and the mass of blue and grey uniforms thronging the station.

“I have been assigned command of our reactivated fleet, an appropriate post for one of my talents I am told.” Hamato started walking, Sheridan following. “or perhaps for one so cursed.” He chuckled gently.

“There were rumours you were back in uniform sir.” Sheridan spoke respectfully, carefully not to tread on some invisible line. He only knew Hamato by reputation, an innovative and utterly determined leader who had been the only being to beat Deathwalker. He was stoic, said little, but by all accounts was an exceptional officer to serve with. Sheridan was naturally keen to make a good impression.

“Almost everyone who served in uniform over the last twenty years is being recalled.” Hamato stated. “Those fit enough anyway. It is going to be my task to reacquaint them with military life before throwing them into the furnace.”

They stepped into a lift, Hamato selecting the command deck level.

“A lot of these crews will be rusty but at least they have served before, that makes them more effective than conscripts.”

“So we just have to jog their memories a little?” Sheridan wondered.

“Exactly.” Hamato confirmed. “Some have seen combat but there are quite a few who had left the force before the Dilgar War. We will have to try and balance our crews so they have a good mix of experience and skills.”

“How old are some of these people sir?”

“Varies, some will have only served one tour and resigned just before this war, others will not have set foot on a ship in twenty years. We will also have a number of Belt Alliance personnel and civilians with experience in merchant ships.”

“That’s quite a mixed bag sir.”

“It is, and forging them into a unit will not be easy. However they are all volunteers, they want to be here. With time we can make them as effective as the first line fleets and three times as good as the conscripts that will come after us.”

“Has the President authorised a Planetary Draft?”

“She’s waiting for a response regarding peace talks.” The lift stopped. “If she doesn’t get it she’ll sign the draft into law and give the Joint Chiefs free reign. At that point it will be all out total war, same as we fought against the Dilgar. No half measures, just an all out fight until one of us breaks.”

They exited the lift and made their way towards the command deck for Beta prime located just under the docking bay as was standard on EA stations.

“I’m assigning Captains but I will need your help.” Hamato continued. “Not many have command experience, I have a team sorting them into a shortlist before I conduct interviews. The Frigates and Corvettes I’ll assign based on their records, but I want to sit down and talk to an individual before I give them a Cruiser or Dreadnought.”

“Makes sense sir, it’s a lot of responsibility.”

“Admiral Denisov managed to pulls some strings and gave me a solid core to build on. Our main battlegroup are all veterans of the Dilgar War most of whom served under my direct command. We can be sure that they at least know their business.”

“How is the rest of the fleet set up sir?”

“I have a hundred dreadnoughts and three hundred cruisers, they are older models but still effective. After those I can put a thousand Frigates, four hundred missile ships and another thousand corvettes into action. We have the crews and they are being given training but we need to make sure they have competent officers to lead them.”

“Understood sir.

“And then we need to make sure those officers are updated on modern fleet doctrine. The Captain of the Enterprise for instance last saw action in the Narn skirmishes twenty five years ago.”

“The Enterprise sir?”

“She’s brand new.” Hamato smiled a little. “You’ll see all of our command squadron is brand new.”

They finally arrived at the control room with its slowly spinning vista on the universe.

“Take a look.” Hamato gestured. “You can’t miss the Enterprise.”

Sheridan did as instructed, peering out to see the biggest block of metal he’d seen that wasn’t a station.

“She’s a Poseidon?”

“Poseidon class Supercarrier.” Hamato affirmed. “They rushed her out without even painting her. We also have the Soryu due in tomorrow and the Illustrious next month, all fully stocked with nearly a hundred Furies each.”

“Very impressive sir.”

“You should be able to see another vessel to the side, bit smaller.”

“I see her sir.” Sheridan observed the classic Earth Force flying brick, this one with a rotating section. “The one with the gravity section?”

“That is going to be your new command, the Agamemnon.” Hamato informed. “Denisov assigned all six of the first batch of Omega class Destroyers to this fleet. They’re fitted with the new heavy lasers equal in raw power to Minbari weapons. I trust you’ll get the best from her.”

“Absolutely sir.” Sheridan grinned. “Looking forward to taking her out for a run.”

“Before you do you’ll want these.” Hamato took something from his pocket. “A ship as powerful as an Omega can’t be run by a Commander.”

Sheridan took the items, opening his hand to see the gold triangles and bars of a full Captain.

“Congratulations Captain.” Hamato allowed a rare full smile for the occasion. “Better go gather your belongings. Report with your crew to the Agamemnon for a shake down, take her to her limits and test her capabilities.”

“Yes sir, thank you sir.”

“Only what you deserve Captain, bean counters back home should not deny a man his rank because they don’t like the salary jump. We’ve got busy days ahead, dismissed Captain Sheridan.”

Somewhere in Minbari space.

“They are not Warriors.” Neroon said simply, his eyes running up and down the line of men and women standing roughly to attention in the hall.

“They do not have to be.” Branmer answered. “Not everyone who fights is a Warrior.”

“No. But it helps.”

Branmer’s new orders were not exactly a disgrace but it was clear he had simply being shuffled aside in such a way that the Religious Caste did not feel insulted. It was politically convenient to bury him here far from the front lines tasked with turning the rear echelon units of the Minbari fleet into something resembling a combat force.

In truth it was not as bad as he expected, he did at least have some decent raw materials to work with. He’d been pleasantly surprised to find a respectable force of fifty Sharlins waiting for him, half from the Worker Caste and the others from the Religious Caste. They were older than those of the Warrior caste, their hulls bearing a slight green tinge over their blue base colour while Warrior ships tended towards purple. Never the less they were superbly maintained and fully operational, it was a good start.

He walked into the hall with Neroon keeping pace beside, the young warrior holding to his oath of loyalty despite Branmer’s fall from grace.

“Alyts of the Worker and Religious Caste.” Branmer spoke loudly enough for his voice to carry between the fifty mixed commanders. “I have been given the task of reorganising this fleet from a patrol and defensive force into a combat group. This means that instead of remaining within our borders operating in small groups we must learn how to fight as a single large unit anywhere in the galaxy.”

He regarded them carefully as he spoke, watching them for reactions, subtle displays of their inner thoughts.

“This will not be as easy as it sounds, you have been trained to operate alone, never far from help knowing that if you found something too dangerous the Warrior Caste could be called in to take command. We will not have that security anymore.”

Neroon also watched their faces, pleasantly surprised by their lack of nerves.

“It will become our task to seek out danger, to actively place ourselves into battle.” Branmer continued. “And we will not be defending our possessions but working to destroy the enemy. While many will tell you destroying threats is a form of defence do not be fooled, for while they are correct in the grand sense what we will be asked to do is very different from what you have known. It is difficult to reconcile the shift towards aggression, for that is the path of the Warrior, but I will show you that there are many different types of aggression. We will learn to attack, but we will also learn control. We will focus our aggression, master it, command it, and then use it to our advantage.”

He nodded with a smile.

“Discipline. That is something you all know already, something that is key to the labours of a worker or the meditations of a priest. Something which many of our Warriors lack. Discipline allows you to pick the right moment to unleash your aggression, lets you know when and where to attack or defend, when to give chase and when to hang back.”

He could sense they were with him, that they followed his meaning.

“Battle is passion and fury, war is cold and controlled. The Warriors are trained to win battles and they do it well, but it is my goal to show you how to win wars, and for you to teach those who follow you.”

He stepped back.

“Instruction will begin tomorrow. Today I want you to view the records of my last battle at Jericho. I want you to identify the key moments in the battle, analyse the decisions as you would an engineering challenge or a historic document. You are designers and scholars, learn from the battle and formulate a plan of your own to use if you were there. That is all for now, report back here tomorrow.”

Branmer turned aside and left, Neroon ever following his lead.

“First impressions?”

“They were quiet.” Neroon answered honestly. “A Warrior company would have cheered you.”

“They were too busy thinking about what I said, weighing the consequences, the requirements, how it will shape their lives. Exactly what I want.” Branmer smiled. “They are planning ahead, analysing the future, trying to decide how their actions will shape things and if it is appropriate.”

“While I agree that rushing in without thinking is usually a bad idea, thinking too much can be just as disastrous.”

“Which is why you will need to instruct them too, to show them some of the better qualities of a warrior. Teach them to be decisive but not reckless. Thought without doubt.”

“It could take a lifetime.”

“We will have to improvise.” Branmer chuckled. “At best we have several years, when the Shadows move we’ll need every ship and crew. At worst, if Shakiri does something unwise, those people could well be leading the defence of Minbar itself.”

“A truly disturbing thought.” Neroon grunted a laugh. “Still Shakiri seems to be taking a more cautious approach to battle.”

“Cautious? He’s sat on his arse!”

“That is one way of seeing it.” Neroon smiled.

“He’s giving the initiative to Earth, letting them dictate the tempo of the war. I can see his theory, he wants to tempt them into making a mistake. I just hope that in so doing he hasn’t made one himself.”

“Whatever happens the Warrior Caste will fight valiantly, human casualties will be immense.”

“I have no doubt of that, but they can replace entire fleets if they have to. We’re already recruiting priests and builders to back up our main fleet. It is not a good sign Neroon, pray Valen these precautions will never be needed.”


	11. Chapter 11

11

Cyrus Star System

It had taken nearly a week but finally Fergusons reinforcements arrived to join the fleet, six jump points opening a safe distance away heralding a small task force of capital ships and their escorts. Great care had been taken to disguise these vessels and mask their true purpose and capability. A casual observation by the enemy would reveal them to be nothing more than standard Nova class Dreadnoughts, a formidable but not unusual vessel. The truth was something different.

“Admiral, General Knox is requesting deployment orders.” Commander Austin relayed across, pressing the small communication headset to his ear. “He has six units ready to engage immediately.”

“Have him deploy in line abreast behind the Dreadnought force.” Ferguson replied as he put aside his reports and notes and brought himself up to speed for the coming action. “Keep the dreadnoughts in staggered formation, Knox can fire through the gaps in the fleet.”

“Aye sir, fleet is deploying.”

“Bring all units up to first degree readiness, launch all fighters and prepare to receive the enemy.”

With Minbari ships standing off in the system outside weapons range the EA ships were already wary and it did not take long to close air tight doors and bring weapons from hot standby to fully operational. Ferguson's status board lit up as each vessel checked in, the blocky formation turning from blue to green signalling every unit was prepared.

“All fleet units will standby on my orders.” The Admiral resolved. “General Knox may commence operations at his leisure.”

The six new dreadnoughts deployed into their assigned position under the curious watch of both their human allies and the distant Minbari. For a few weeks now both sides had been locked in a staring match across the Cyrus system with neither the Earth or Minbari fleets in a position to commence an attack. Their strength was roughly equal and while Earth could claim to have a more flexible fleet the Minbari still held the proverbial high ground having vessels with superior range and accuracy. It was a stand off with neither fleet willing to cross open space under the guns of the other.

This was where General Knox came in with Earth's solution to breaking the stalemate. While the ships he brought were Nova class hulls they had been heavily modified with their cannons, hangar decks and internal stores removed and replaced with a single spinal rail gun of immense proportions.

The cannons were planetary defence weapons shoehorned into a dreadnought hull with considerable difficulty and expense. They were slow, vulnerable to any hostile unit if caught alone and very few in number designed primarily for bombarding enemy starbases and ground based fortifications. However they also fired a solid lump of metal the size of a freight train at massive velocities with greater range and power than anything beside the largest nuclear missiles and unlike those missiles the solid projectile was virtually impossible to deflect or destroy.

They had never been used in action before and were not built to fight warships, fortunately the new sensors and targeting systems that allowed Earth to beat Minbari stealth also gave these immense weapons the capacity to engage moving targets such as, for example, Minbari war cruisers. The designers had named these titanic weapons 'Murphy Guns' after the proverbial guru of bad luck. They had taken Murphy's primary law of 'No plan survives contact with the enemy' and altered it to 'No plan survives contact with this giant frickin' gun' and used that as their mission statement. Now finally it would be put to the test.

The six siege ships now dropped their cover, switching power to their spinal cannon and bringing the targeting systems online. They had assumed position behind a screen of regular dreadnoughts, the commanders of the fleet watching with malicious glee as the power readings spiked. The leading vessel in the formation would take the first shot, the EAS Gustav, to gauge the effectiveness of the experimental weapon and feed data to its sisters.

The first of the massive bullets was winched up and settled into the breech mechanism, the zero gravity within the vessel helping considerably. The electromagnetic rails arced as they were fed massive quantities of power, the entire ship humming as the decks shuddered and vibrated. At the bow within the fake hangar opening the muzzle of the gun made final adjustments, locked it's targets and made ready for the final order. The engine room set the engines for a sudden automatic burn to try and counter the recoil at the moment of firing, all hoping that the weapon did not explode, melt or simply break free of its cradle and rip out the heart of the ship.

The tension was palpable, the entire Earth fleet waiting poised for what promised to be a spectacular event one way or another. The targeting system beeped ready, the capacitors kicked in a final boost of power, and as soon as the gun matched itself to the sensor readings it fired.

Even at emergency burn the recoil pushed the ship back snapping the crew forward in their seats, the restraints digging uncomfortably into their shoulders and waists. The compression systems did their job, the gun remained attached to the firing vessel and returned forward ready for another shot. The burst of energy was impossible to hide, lighting up every sensor system in the region as the silver streak of the round crossed open space toward its target.

“What happened?” Shakiri glared at the flash from the distant EA ships mapped to the holographic curtain of the command deck. “What was that reading?”

“It was a muzzle blast, unknown weapon, projectile is incoming!” His second warned. “Very high speed!”

“Track it's course, then...”

He was interrupted by a spark on the hologram beside him, a Sharlin suddenly jerking backwards scattering debris behind it in vast quantities. It stood motionless for a heartbeat and then exploded as its reactor consumed it.

“That was the Firenn, direct hit.” His Captain warned. “Reading more sensors locks, Earth force ships are firing again, five more incoming!”

The rest of the siege ships now engaged mirroring the success of the lead vessel. Four found their targets and struck them directly, the fifth was a glancing hit but even so the sheer force of the kinetic impact scraped off a third of the mass of the unfortunate Minbari ship and carried it away.

“The Burning Spear is on fire and out of control, more incoming!”

“Can we return fire?” Shakiri demanded to know.

“Not at this range Shai Alyt.”

“Then it appears we have but one choice.”

It took considerable effort for Ferguson not to grin like a maniac, the elder Admiral required to maintain a professional air in front of subordinates at all times. The rest of his bridge crew fortunately had no such appearance to maintain and burst out in cheers with every Minbari ship shattered.

“Four more hits!” Austin slammed his hands together, ecstatic to be giving the Minbari a taste of some pay back. “Knox is opening up a hole in the centre of the enemy formation, he hopes one of the ships in the middle is the enemy flagship.”

“If we can snipe the commander it will help.” Ferguson nodded. “They are starting to take evasive action, it won't do much good, Knox may need to switch to cluster rounds.”

“He's already alternating shell types.” Austin confirmed. “He reports twenty rounds per gun remaining, after that the gun barrels will be wrecked and need replacing.”

“The Minbari won't know that, right now their Commander is working out how long he can endure having his capital ships sniped before his fleet is useless.”

Another set of Minbari ships vanished in flame and fractured crystal.

“He has three options, the first is to retreat which is the most sensible.” Ferguson considered. “Withdraw and return later with a better balanced force, but he won't do that, no Minbari warrior would flee from battle. He could disperse, go full evasive, break up his fleet but that would allow us to move in, concentrate our conventional ships and destroy him piecemeal. Which leaves one option for him. Attack.”

“That seems to be confirmed sir, I have movement across the Minbari lines.” Austin nodded. “They are assuming attack positions, a frontal assault.”

“And that is textbook desperation.” Ferguson exhaled, shaking his head at his opponent. “Have General Knox maintain fire and then withdraw to a reserve position. Dreadnought group will hold fast and standby for broadside fire, we'll let them break against this metal wall. All other units move to the flanks and engage the Minbari as they advance. They will come straight for the Murphy guns, straight down the centre relying on speed to save them. It won't.”

The Minbari were on the move, exactly as Ferguson had predicted. Unable to weather the attacks and with no idea how limited the EA ammunition was they chose to attack and remove the source of their torment. Shakiri brought his fleet up to attack speed, ready to utilise the formidable engine power of his forces to close the gap quickly and minimise his exposure to human weapons. Unfortunately this was exactly what Ferguson wanted.

As the Minbari made their move he too redeployed, the wall of dreadnoughts turning broadside on to face the Minbari advance, cannons swinging out and flank missile silos popping open one after the other exposing nuclear tipped hypervelocity missiles to the enemy. It was a solid line of dark grey and blue, the classic iron wall of Earth force that had blunted virtually everything that had ever been thrown against it from Narn missile cruisers to Dilgar Dreadnoughts and everything in between. Only the Minbari had ever taken such a formation head on and won, but that was before Earth could fight back and even then the pure volume of fire had blasted several warcruisers. It was time to see what happened when the irresistable force of a Sharlin grand assault ran into the immovable object of a human dreadnought wall.

But while Shakiri was gambling on one tactic Ferguson was not so unwise. He deployed his escorts above and to the left of his his main defence, the two flanking forces advancing along the path of the Minbari advance. Their orders were to simply rain down fire from the left and from above intersecting at ninety degrees and catching the Minbari fleet in a three dimensional crossfire. His cruisers and frigates could not match a Nova for firepower of course but they could still hurt a Minbari capital ship and were a threat to the smaller escorts Shakiri had brought with him, and they were present in significant numbers.

All the while the Murphy guns maintained a steady fire picking off important looking ships at range. Ferguson assigned his Starfury units to protect them, his main concern being the Minbari fighters swarming ahead and tearing up the defenceless siege ships. It was a bit of a risk not to send the Furies forward to whittle away exposed guns and propulsion systems among the Minbari ships but given the amount of firepower waiting to be unleashed it was probably wise to keep his airwings as far away from the cauldron as possible.

“Minbari are coming into range.” Austin warned. “General Knox is withdrawing.”

The Minbari began to engage, their first salvoes slicing through a trio of Novas. The jamming suites prevented the Minbari from exploiting their accuracy at this range but simply weight of fire was going to cost human lives.

“All dreadnoughts hold fast.” Ferguson ordered. “We'll get our chance very soon.”

Knox was still firing as he withdrew earning back some vengeance, a salvo of cluster shells wiping out a Minbari frigate wing as they were pelted with submunitions hitting at insane velocities.

“Flanking forces report Minbari are in range.”

“All cruiser and escort units, commence firing, guns only.” Ferguson ordered. “Time to main contact?”

“Forty seconds until they come within our range.” Austin replied sharply and professionally, filtering and relaying information as soon as it crossed his console. “Cruiser forces are engaging.”

The Hyperion wings began their part of the plan hailing pulse cannon rounds down on the passing Minbari ships. Shakiri had ignored them, writing them off as a minor threat and now he was starting to regret it. The EA ships burned holes in the Sharlin cruisers, massed fire from six vessels turning one into a flaming wreck as it passed under their guns. Rail guns on the escorting Artemis frigates added to the violence as explosions and tracer fire peppered the advancing force.

The Minbari simply soaked up the damage and pushed on. Shakiri did not alter his plan, he kept his focus on the siege ships even though they were by now no longer the main threat. His flanking ships were being melted away, his frigate and light cruiser units unable to respond due to lack of orders. Many Minbari commanders knew it was a mistake, they desperately wanted to break formation and engage the human cruiser units, it was indeed their entire reason for existence. But instead of being released to hunt in their wolfpacks and tie up the human light units they were instead kept in tight with the Sharlin formation and suffered for it.

In his mind Shakiri believed he was right, that it was better to mass his fleet into one great hammer to smash the human battle line and destroy the siege ships, that he would crush both forces at once in a single glorious attack. None could stand before such a force, who was there who could check the unleashed might of the Warrior caste in its full fury?

“All in the valley of death rode the six hundred.” Ferguson whispered to himself.

“Sir?”

“Nothing Commander, just reminding myself that blindly following orders into suicidal attacks isn't exclusively a Minbari trait. We have guns on both flanks, guns ahead of them, they are in the mother of all kill boxes and they are still advancing. Is that bravery Commander? Or desperation?”

“They're boneheads sir, that tells me all I need to know.”

“Doesn't really matter. Dreadnought group standby for salvo fire.”

The iron wall now made ready, the ranks of heavy guns making their final adjustments. With such a huge target and with so many ships preparing to fire there was no question that tens of thousands of Minbari were about to die. The only question was whether they would collapse before the momentum of the attack carried them through the dreadnought wall.

“Make sure all weapons are set for pulse mode.” Ferguson checked, a final dreadnought falling to Minbari fire as the range counter turned green. “Commence firing.”

There was no one in the Earth fleet that did not appreciate the spectacle of nearly two hundred dreadnoughts engaging at once. It was the ultimate example of what Earth Force brought to the battlefield, pure, unsophisticated, overwhelming firepower. The fleet simply filled space with highly energised particles, a mix of the older blue coloured rounds and newer orange pulses showing which ships had been upgraded. The leading elements of the Minbari fleet flew into them and stopped dead, entire squadrons and flotillas knocked out of the sky and transformed into smoking ruins. More ships advanced, more fell, but it did not stop the Minbari advance in its tracks. The follow up vessels pushed forward, navigating around the wrecks, enduring the barrage for a few moments before succumbing. Each successive force pushing further forward and still retaliating, still claiming Earth warships with calmly executed return fire despite the maelstrom engulfing them.

This was the critical moment. Ferguson was fully committed, as was Shakiri, the Minbari advance was slowing down but still forcing its way forward and still claiming human ships. One side or the other had to break, either the Minbari ships crumbled or Ferguson's ships burnt out their guns and slackened their defence which would let the Minbari get close enough to break through.

“Weapons capacity at ninety percent and falling.” Austin warned. The rapid salvoes fired by the dreadnoughts were horrificaly destructive but also exceeded the limits on the cooling systems placing a direct limit on their use. All the Minbari had to do was endure for a few more seconds and they could still win despite their losses.

Ferguson of course had no intention of allowing that.

“All units, nuclear launch authorised, saturation strike.” He gave the order with as much venom in his voice as he could manage. “Launch them all.”

His fleet had few pure missile ships in it, not many had survived the initial one sided battles, but the majority of EA ships maintained a healthy missile armament of their own and could bring a lot of warheads to the field. Both the dreadnoughts at the front of the battle and the flanking cruisers and frigates let go with everything they had, a classic mass attack with everything timed to impact simultaneously. With the Minbari so focused on the attack, with their sensors clouded by the volume of gunfire, with their escorting ships badly mauled and out of proper position, with the entire force concentrated together in a packed formation Ferguson's ships found themselves with the optimum target.

This was not an innovative battle, there was no great new strategy or radical manouevre, it was an almost text book battle with a main line of Dreadnoughts, cruisers and frigates on the flanks, Furies on CAP duty and a well timed nuclear strike to tip a wavering enemy into collapse. It was the classic Earth Force strategy, human kinds signature space battle, and it worked. It was tried, tested and when employed by a competent Admiral and well trained crews the results were utterly devastating.

The Minbari broke. Their forces evaporated and boiled away, hammered by gunfire or slammed by the shattered debris from their brethren. The heart of the formation was transformed into a furnace of radiation and plasma, their defensive strategies too weakened or too slow to stop the missile strike. Eighty percent of the Minbari fleet was lost in the space of thirty seconds and in the face of certain death Shakiri also broke.

“Jump points.” Austin noted. “Surviving ships are withdrawing.”

“Keep firing.” Ferguson ordered. “Don't make it easy for them.”

Several more Minbari ships succumbed to gunfire as they made their escape, a couple of hundred vessels making it to hyperspace where they would be long gone by the time Earth Force could follow. Ferguson let them go, he didn't have the supplies to chase them over the border anyway.

“Enemy forces have withdrawn, the Cyrus system is ours.” Austin grinned.

“Get a signal off to Command, inform them Minbari fleet routed with heavy casualties, we have secured the border and all Earth Alliance territory has now been liberated. We request resupply and are prepared to advance into Minbari territory as soon as practical.”

“Aye sir.” Austin went to work. “Are we really ready to attack sir? Invade Minbari space?”

“If the politicians have the will power we have the firepower.” Ferguson nodded. “But I don't know, it'll be brutal but so far the Minbari have given us no indication they want to surrender. We might have to if we want to end this.”

“Message away sir.” The Commander informed.

“It'll be a week or two before we are rearmed and ready to go anyway, set defensive stations, deploy piquet ships and stand down the fleet.” Ferguson concluded. “Good day's work everyone, lets tend our wounds and be ready for the next round.”

Minbari Space.

“I did warn you.” Branmer said with an utterly neutral expression. It was the closest he had ever got to yelling 'I told you so!' as loudly as possible and it was only a life time of priestly training that compelled him not to.

“At the time the Council was correct.” Coplann chose his phrasing carefully. “However it seems circumstances have changed and Shakiri is no longer favoured.”

“Shakiri was well read in the art of war.” Neroon spoke up, ever beside his master and obviously enjoying the vindication heading their way. “Unfortunately nobody ever won a battle by sitting down and reading about it.”

“Shakiri had the relevent seniority and position to assume command.” Coplann continued, clearly not comfortable. “But I am forced to agree that his experience was… lacking.”

“He understood the concepts of winning battles but not how and when to apply them.” Branmer sighed. “He is a fine fleet commander, but he is not ready to be granted a position of full command. He needs someone to make the decisions for him, to give him the orders which I am sure he would execute superbly. He is in no way fit to be the one issuing the orders, his vision is too, shall we say narrow, for it?”

“Narrow is not the word I would use.” Neroon savoured the pained look on Coplann's face. “Buffoon I think works better. Perhaps complete moron sits better still?”

“I remind you he is still your senior officer.” Coplann cautioned.

“And I remind you he just lost our last standing fleet!” Neroon spat back. “And the only reason he is still my senior officer is because he did not have the courage or honour to die with his men!”

“Enough now.” Branmer quelled the rising tensions. “What is done is now done. How many ships did Shakiri save?”

“Not enough, and most were damaged.” Coplann winced visibly. “Maybe fifty can be made operational in the next week, the rest will take months to repair.”

“Valen's name.” Neroon spluttered, laughing with incredulity of the news. “The entire fleet of the Warrior caste reduced to fifty ships? You expect them to hold the border against thousands of battle hardened human war vessels?”

“No.” Coplann raised his chin. “I expect you to.”

Branmer nodded slowly.

“Are you asking me to become Shai Alyt again?”

“The Council has granted you the position, it is already done.”

“I see.” Branmer considered for a moment. “I refuse.”

Coplann froze, his brain clanking to a halt, unable to process the data. Even Neroon seemed moderately surprised.

“But... the Council... your duty...”

“I refuse, unless my condition is met.” Branmer continued. “I will have free reign to prosecute this war. I will not have to make constant reports, the Council will not interfere, and the Caste elders will swear loyalty to me directly on their honour.”

“You ask for a lot Branmer.”

“So does the Council Satai Coplann.” The former priest grunted. “You ask for a miracle, I simply ask for the impossible.”

“The Council will ensure you have what you want.” Coplann agreed.

Branmer gave a curt nod then headed for a console and pressed a few controls, the holographic curtain descending around them and turning dark as it brought them an image of space.

“I have been training the defensive units, the fleets of the worker and religious castes.” he announced, pointing to a fleet of ships practicing against each other. “Teaching them how to act aggressively but with control.”

“Their formations are sloppy.” Coplann cast a warriors eye over the fleet. “Their spacing is uneven, and they are not moving in synchronisation.”

“All of which is irrelevant, this isn't a parade, it’s a war.” Branmer dismissed. “I don't care if they are not equally distant on the same line as each other provided they maintain interlocking fields of fire and flank cover.”

He pressed a few buttons.

“Watch, a simulated flank attack by human cruisers.”

Coplann observed the fleet responding, detaching frigates to intercept.

“Simulated missile strike.”

Again the fleet altered, spreading out with escorts and fighters racing forward to lay down a barrier of point defence fire.

“Dreadnought attack, Starfury assault, hyperspace ambush.” Branmer cycled each scenario and each time his fleet responded. “What is missing?”

“I don't know.”

“Orders.” Neroon answered for him. “All warrior caste fleets need set direction, a pattern to follow. Upset the pattern and we have trouble reacting, we tend to wait for direct orders from above. It is what doomed Shakiri's fleet.”

“My forces do not need that, I have taught them to react to unexpected developments, to act without requiring permission.” Branmer explained. “Yes they are rough around the edges, they are not so fast to act as warriors or as disciplined, but they are much more flexible and they are far better at reading a battle than most of the Alyts you know. I'd take these ships over five times their number commanded by someone like Shakiri.”

Coplann nodded with acceptance.

“You taught them to fight as humans fight.”

“I taught them to fight how we used to fight, back in the days of Valen.” Branmer clarified. “Which is not dissimilar. Valen emphasised flexibility, moving not like a sword and shield but like a river. Melting away so attacks found nothing, parting before the enemy to avoid damage, and gathering like a flood to sweep the land clear before us. Always changing, always adapting, ready to become what we needed to become.”

“When we cannot shape the enemy to our ways, we must shape ourselves to theirs.” Neroon affirmed. “Fight as they do, exploit their weaknesses, make their strengths our strengths.”

“Is this fleet ready?” Coplann asked. “We still need time to retrain warriors to man the mothball fleet, to turn them from infantry into starship crews.”

“I need two more months, sadly we don't have two months. Tell the Council they will be ready to deploy immediately.”

“Very good, once our...”

“But I will not be defending our borders.” Branmer interrupted. “We will attack.”

Coplann frowned, Neroon suppressing a wide smile.

“I don't think that is wise.”

“I am Shai Alyt and have full authority to conduct this war as I see fit.” Branmer reminded. “We need to seize the initiative, strike hard while Earth regroups, while they won't be expecting us. You cannot let Earth dictate this war to us, we have to be the ones deciding where and when to fight, they have to react to us not the other way. We don't have the strength to hold them and if Earth learns that fact we are going to be in trouble.”

“The Council will not like this.”

“They will like humans invading Minbar far less.” Branmer retorted. “We need time to build our forces, ideally we need a decisive victory that cripples the Earth fleets and makes invasion impossible. I will take our fleet to Beta Durani, their main supply and staging area, and there I will do what I can to prevent invasion and give us a favourable negotiating position.”

“What do you mean negotiating position?”

Branmer frowned, then shook his head and walked away, Neroon following close behind with an equally unimpressed glance leaving Coplann to digest the conversation. He was a warrior and part of the Council but he was no fool and knew deep down Branmer was right. He had his loyalty to the Council and his loyalty to the people of Minbar and until today they had been one and the same. Now he wasn't quite so sure.

While it pained his warrior heritage to admit it, he needed to talk to Delenn.


	12. Chapter 12

12

Earthdome

Geneva

“Ambassador Mollari, I hope this isn't an inconvenience?”

“Of course not Madam President.” The Ambassador to the Great Centauri Republic smiled what was no doubt a genuine expression of satisfaction but which looked forced, painfully so. With the narrowing of the eyes and the drawing back of thin lips over sharp looking teeth there was something just plain unsettling about the man. It probably wasn't intentional, maybe it was a common Centauri attribute, something subtle that reminded people that while they looked very similar these were aliens, not humans.

Londo took the offered seat in the Presidential office, the early sun streaming in through the windows.

“It is my duty to be on call for our friends here on Earth.” Londo continued. “Especially in these difficult times.”

“I'm glad to hear that.” Elizabeth Levy settled behind her desk commanding the space with an authority born from confidence that had been waning in recent months. The good news from the battle fronts had done her much good, and while she was still leading a nation at war the hopelessness of the initial months had now gone.

“May I first offer the congratulations of the Republic on your recent battlefield successes.” Londo chipped in. “Many of our generals were quite surprised, you have encouraged us to rethink our position regarding the Minbari.”

“A lot has changed, I'm sure you agree Ambassador.” Levy acknowledged. “however our overall policy of finding a negotiated settlement has not. This is not a war the people of the Alliance sought and it is not one we wish to continue unless we must. The Minbari have been deaf to our continuing requests to open negotiations as equals, even after our recent demonstrations.”

“By all accounts the Minbari are tremendously prideful, it is likely these defeats have stung them greatly.” Londo related. “They are not used to losing.”

“That may be but the Centauri as I understand it had some diplomatic contact with them?”

“Some, mainly border trade recently. We did once have an Ambassador in their territory but... well, it is a long and awkward story.”

“My reason for summoning you Ambassador is to ask if the Centauri could use their contacts too clearly tell the Minbari we wish to negotiate peace. By whatever means it takes Ambassador.”

“I can speak to my government, something like this could well be in our abilities. Not easy of course, but certainly worth our efforts.”

“That is most...generous of you Ambassador, you have my thanks.”

“There was another matter, I was going to raise it later but as I am here now if you would permit me Madam President?”

Levy cocked an eyebrow. “Please Ambassador, what can do you wish to say?”

“You probably know as well as we do that the Minbari use some form of stealth technology, your ships had trouble with this at the star tof the war.” Londo began. “But you seem to have overcome this obstacle, something no other group can match.”

“No even the Centauri as I understand it.” Levy nodded. “Despite having a few centuries worth of head start.”

“Yes, well, not for want of trying.” Londo smiled that sharp grin again. “My government would be particularly interested in learning how this was done.”

“Yes, I imagine they would.”

“Naturally we would offer something in return, technology of equal value.”

“Such as?”

“Artificial gravity, advanced weapons, rather large piles of money, the Centaurum was fairly flexible on the price. You can more or less name what you want.”

“That is truly very generous, this technology must be very important to the Centauri.”

“Our intentions are open here Madam President, this will allow our fleets to face the Minbari navy on reasonable terms. It is incredibly valuable.”

“A shame you were not so generous earlier in the war.”

“As you say Madam President, things change. Personally I deeply regret my government's decision not to be more helpful earlier, but my hands are tied by the Centaurum. Now however they are eager to make a deal.”

“We will consider it, in the mean time can you forward our request to your diplomatic people. I am sure brokering a peace deal to end this war will be just as appealing to your Emperor.”

“I believe so, the Emperor Turhan seems to be favouring diplomacy in his reign, this would certainly help him establish a reputation. I will keep you informed Madam President.”

She shook hands and allowed Londo to leave. A few minutes later when the coast was clear her next two guests were ushered in, representatives of the Narn Regime and Dilgar Imperium.

“Ambassador G'Kar, Warmaster Dal'shan.” she welcomed. “The Centauri Ambassador has agreed to pass on our request for negotiations. What are your thoughts on our chances?”

“Not favourable.” G'Kar grunted with unrestrained disdain. “The Centauri are creatures of habit and their favourite habit is deception.”

“You don't think they will pass on our offer?”

“Oh they will, but they will drag their feet, draw the process out.” G'Kar explained, leaning forward for emphasis. “The Centauri are afraid Madam President, afraid of the Minbari yes but so was everyone. Now though they are also afraid of you. You have done what no one in a thousand years has done, you stopped a full invasion by the Minbari fleet. This is unheard of.”

“The Centauri have direct experience of Minbari power.” Dal'shan continued. “Centuries ago when the Centauri were new to space travel they became rivals of a larger empire called the Garmak. The Garmak made the mistake of challanging the Minbari, they didn't believe the legends of invincible blue warships and thought the Minbari were hiding behind a smokescreen of lies and tall tales. It took just a few weeks for the Minbari to crush them, and when the Minbari left the Garmak empire became the first real conquests of the Centauri Republic.”

“The Centauri are obviously wary of the same thing happening to them, indeed I expect they probably planned to expand into your territory just like they did to the Garmak after the Minbari vacate it for them.” G'Kar scoffed. “Hopefully that will not now happen.”

“But the Centauri will remain wary, they will look at Earth as a direct rival, more so than in the past.” Dal'shan warned. “And for that reason they would prefer to see the war drag on, for both you and the Minbari to exhaust themselves so you are no threat to the Centauri, at least not immediately.”

“You cannot trust them to handle this Madam President, it is that simple.”

“I assume you have a counter proposal?” Levy asked.

“I do.” G'Kar confirmed. “I know a handful of Minbari, they are not part of any particular caste, they are some form of scouts or watchmen, I'm not entirely sure. I think that even after recent events I can contact them, and through them get word to someone within the Minbari hierarchy.”

“It is less certain than the direct diplomatic contact the Centauri have, but more trustworthy.” Dal'shan related. “And there are many in the Minbari government who also want to see a peaceful end to this and who disagree with the war.”

“Why have these people not tried to end the war before?”

“They have difficulty being heard over the cries of the warriors.” G'Kar stated. “But with less warriors around making noise...”

“I see. And I suppose our previous attempts at contact have not inspired confidence.”

“No, but I am convinced they are still willing to try again, we just need to keep offering them a way to speak with us.”

“The Earth would be grateful for any help either of you can offer.” Levy nodded. “If this does work Earth will remember those who helped her in her hour of need.”

“The Kha'ri respects the strength your people have shown, and of course we do not wish to see you harmed by Centauri treachery.” G'Kar stated proudly. “We know all too well how the Centauri treat those they fear.”

“Likewise the Dilgar will remain supportive of Earth.” Dal'shan promised. “In the spirit of reconciliation we will have more sensor packs to ship over and several of our top soldiers have requested permission to join the struggle. We would like to attach them to your forces as volunteers.”

“I can talk to the Joint Chiefs about it, but if they are willing we can certainly find a place for them.”

“Then with permission we should start right away.” G'Kar stood. “And I sincerley hope this cooperation between our nations will endure for a very long time.”

President Levy poured herself a glass of water as the aliens left, savouring the cool drink as she relaxed, barely reacting as a final guest joined her on what was turning out to be a very busy morning.

“Go ahead Vic, what do you think?”

“That they all want something and aren't shy about it.” The Director of the Earth Intelligence Agency spoke with customary plainess. “Technology for the Centauri, an alliance for the Narn, same for the Dilgar.”

“Suddenly everyone wants to be our friend again.” Levy sighed. “Will they help us?”

“G'Kar is our best bet, he came through for us before, he'll do it again if the Minbari are ready to listen.”

“Think they are?”

“I think so, but the dynamic has changed. Londo is right when he says we gave the Minbari a good kick in their pride. Suddenly this war has more meaning for them, not just avenging Dukhat, this is a real fight now, a real challenge. They're going to react differently.”

“But if they see us as an equal then a negotiated peace is no shame for them?”

“Depends how they define equal, they might still hate our guts and want to hurt us more than save themselves. This could send them on some sort of national kamikaze course, or maybe it knocked some sense into them. We don't know, my people still can't get much on the Minbari.”

“Still nothing new?”

“With the border open we're going to try recon flights again, but we can't beat Minbari encryption, we haven't found much useful from prisoners as Minbari field officers have very little data given to them, and the chances of infiltrating a Minbari world is pretty much zero.”

“So they could be at breaking point, or just catching their breath.” Levy frowned. “We need to open a dialogue, so far we're keeping our forces stable but we still haven't made good on our initial losses. We're mobilised for war but our resources are not infinite and even if they were I won't send millions of our men and women to die over a war started over a mistake.”

“I'll keep my people on it, but for now I suggest supporting G'Kar. Keep Londo happy but don't rely too much on the Centaurum. Both sides are only in it for themselves, but where the Centauri benefit from weakening us the Narn benefit by keeping us strong and friendly. That makes them easier to deal with in the future.”

“And the Dilgar? What do they want from us?”

“That is a more difficult question, I'd suggest playing it straight for now, they have been very helpful and are obviously wooing the Narn's beside us. I'd say they were looking for strong allies for the future, and we're top of the list.”

“If they keep delivering help to us they might just get their wish.”

Hyperspace

Minbari Warcruiser Valen's Reckoning

Branmer valued quiet, he needed it, his days were so full of reports, orders, problems of every description it was essential to just stop for an hour and meditate. It cleared his mind, swept away the clutter and let him focus on the critical elements of his job. Save the Federation from conquest.

It was a fairly dramatic concept, the idea of Minbar falling to a foreign power was inconceivable to most, but then again so was the idea of the Minbari war fleets being wiped out in open war. Things had a nasty habit of changing and as a general rule Minbari society was entrenched and had difficulty dealing with rapid and destructive change. They were not well equipped for the pace of current events, the full details of recent defeats were being suppressed but even with the Council's control of information it wouldn't last forever. When people learned the Warrior caste were no longer invincible it could shake the very foundations of Minbari civilisation. The whole race could lose faith in itself and all it had been taught.

Right now Branmer couldn't afford to speculate too much on the seismic changes that were coming, he needed to keep his mind on the task at hand. While he did not believe the humans could take Minbar they could make the job easier for the Shadows when they inevitably appeared. Naval losses were already shocking and left the Federation vulnerable, if the war did not end soon those losses would only increase. Branmer was in no doubt that this war would decide the fate of Minbar, that if it went badly they could end up exterminated instead of humanity. While most Minbari saw the war with blinkered vision as just combat with humanity, Branmer looked further ahead, his mind five, ten, twenty years in the future and what events today would mean for then.

“Shai Alyt?” Neroon spoke with unusual quietness. “I hope I am not disturbing?”

“Never, sit down.”

The warrior did as instructed, Branmer's eyes remained shut.

“My meditations were almost complete for today, you should try it, helps show you the important things.”

“I was never one for remaining still and silent.” Neroon shrugged slightly.

“No, perhaps not. But you are more insightful then most of your peers. You can see the fundamental truths that elude others.” Branmer considered. “You cut straight to the heart of the matter, focus on the core truth without any of the distractions piled on top.”

“I believe in being direct, and I do not believe in turning a blind eye to incompetence and vanity even when it comes from those I should admire.”

“Like the Clan elders?”

“They demand respect simply because they hold a position. They confuse respect for their rank with respect for themselves as individuals.” Neroon remarked with a tinge of hostility. “Most senior warriors are masters of the duel, and while it is honourable hitting people with pikes is no preparation for naval warfare.”

“I agree, but with no recent wars there has been no way to earn glory and prestige in space, one can only make a name for oneself on the duelling field, is that not so?”

“It was, but no longer.” Neroon replied. “Now we have many leaders who have tasted battle from the command room of a warship, it is they who should be our new clan elders, following you Shai Alyt.”

“Why?”

“Because our future enemies cannot be defeated by blades and pikes alone. Those who specialise in such weapons cannot lead us against the humans and win, what chance do they have against the greater enemy?”

“You have learned well Neroon, you understand why we need change and how we must adapt. The ending of this war will not mark peace for us, our work will just be beginning.”

“I understand. Though we should win this war first.”

“Speaking of which, have we been detected?”

Neroon shook his head.

“We're far enough off beacon to avoid the human warning sensors, we're also deploying our own temporary beacons as we advance. If Earth does see us and shuts down their network we should be able to reach our target and return home.”

“Good, we don't want to share the fate of the first fleet that made it this far.” Branmer winced slightly, being lost in hyperspace was a fate no one relished. “How long until Beta Durani?”

“About two hours. The humans will pick us up as we close in, I'm afraid the area is too heavily developed and too well guarded to sneak past.”

“By that point it won't matter, we are committed Neroon, it is important we win something back for our people and give them a victory. If we don't it could send cracks through the Federation that will never heal.”

“I never thought it would come this far, our main fleets all but wiped out, our reserves not fully mobilised, the humans could fly direct to Minbar if they wished.”

“Ironic that we now are in a position not dissimilar to humanity a few months ago.” Branmer chuckled darkly. “Fate has a Narn sense of humour.”

“Then our duty is clear, destroy the main human base in the area, weaken their fleets, and undercut any attempt at invasion.” Neroon spoke firmly. “The fleet is untested but unwavering, I know they will fight well.”

“They will.” Branmer finally opened his eyes and pushed himself to his feet settling his mind and hardening his demeanour in preparation of battle. “Bring the ships up to alert, I want us engaging the second we arrive. We cannot rely on the lazy tactics of the past, to quote our opponents this is war to the knife.”

Beta Durani System

Main EA Transit point for the theatre

EAS Agamemnon.

“Order Athena to stay tucked in on our flank, we have to wheel into formation together.”

There was a slight tilt in the deck as the destroyer turned sharply, the heavy mechanisms that kept the habitat sections spinning meeting some resistance as external forces worked on the structure. The Agamemnon swung around in a manoeuvre that belied its size, a ninety degree turn that would have embarrassed a cruiser a quarter of her mass. As she did so the Athena, the second of six Omega class ships in service, mirrored the manoeuvre and dropped into formation beside the Agamemnon, both vessels making a few simulated shots against computerised targets.

“That did it.” Sheridan beamed. “Nice work people, few more drills and we'll have these attack patterns adapted and ready for use across the fleet.”

For the last few weeks Sheridan had been doing his part to bring Earth's reservists back up to fighting standards. Under Hamato's command the fleet had gone from recalled veterans and fresh volunteers to a respectable and talented unit. Like the crews their ships were a mix of recommissioned older units and brand new models fresh from the yards which made integrating them into a single cohesive force difficult to say the least. Fortunately Hamato had proven to be quite creative when it came to organising task forces and by this point he had the entire force working together expertly.

Sheridan's role had been particularly challenging, as commander of the Omega group Sheridan was responsible for six pre-production Omega class destroyers, revised and improved models of the prototypes lost during the first days of the war.

The new warships were formidable and employed a significant leap in capabilities over the main line units. They were tougher than Nova class dreadnoughts but faster and more agile than cruisers. Their laser and energy mine launchers gave them greater range than any other EA ship but the assorted pulse cannons still allowed them to deliver a crushing barrage at closer ranges, though not so much as the Nova.

Sheridan had spent his time taking the ships to their limits, seeing what the designs could do, and then developing tactics to take advantage of them. Mostly it was an update of frigate and corvette formations playing to the speed of the Omega and operating as a super sized wolf pack rather than matching the lumbering wall or iron used by the Nova class. Both he and the crews had been itching to get to grips with the enemy and had been more than a little disappointed to have to watch the victory at Cyrus on the news instead of participating. Fergusons fleet would need to rotate back for supplies and rest soon which meant they would be going forward to the lines. They would soon get a chance to prove themselves.

Very soon.

“Captain, I have a priority signal from the Soryu, Admiral Hamato sir.”

“Better patch him through.” Sheridan flicked the small communication panel on the bulky arms of his commanders chair. “Sheridan here.”

“Captain, cancel all drills, we just picked up a Minbari fleet on approach.” Hamato spoke quickly but measuredly, displaying no panic but definite concern. “We have less than ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes? How the hell did they get that close?”

“It doesn't matter, take position beside my carrier group.”

“Yes sir.” Sheridan turned to his navigation officer. “Bring us into position, flank speed. Commander Carol, action stations, bring all fighters to alert one.”

“Aye sir.”

“Admiral, can I ask how many ships we're dealing with?”

“At least a thousand, this is a full scale attack.” Hamato replied. “They've evaded Ferguson and it seems obvious their target will be the mid range base.”

It made sense, Beta Prime and its associated repair docks and cargo clusters was the main supply and refit yard for the front, without it Earth's tempo of operations would decline sharply.

“I guess we didn't destroy all their ships after all.”

“An oversight we're going to have an opportunity to correct. Assume position and await further orders, I don't like where this is going Captain, this is an unusual strategy for the Minbari. Be on your guard.”

The Earth ships took position very quickly in a clear demonstration of their new found skills. Their basic formation was fairly standard, dreadnoughts at the core, cruisers and frigates on the flanks, carriers to the rear. It was a safe formation that Hamato could work from to confront whatever emerged from hyperspace.

Sheridan dropped in beside the Soryu, one of three Poseidon class carriers under Hamato's command. The vast warships carried nearly a hundred fighters and a vast selection of missiles to support the front line ships. While not really meant for direct combat they still mounted energy mines and a pair of long range lasers identical to those mounted on the Omega class. They were very tough and flexible units with the less obvious advantage of housing the most sophisticated combat information centre humanity had yet put into space. Hamato was already nestled in amongst the sea of data readouts, map projections and specialists waiting to see what the Minbari were going to do.

For his part Sheridan waited. The Omega group was Hamato's ace card to play at the critical moment and not before. They moved into position just in time, the fleet forming a barrier between the gate and the station, a steel net to catch the incoming Minbari.

Warcruiser Valen's Reckoning

“We have crossed the Beacon Shai Alyt.” Neroon intoned. “All ships are prepared.”

“Then our time has come. Initiate jump, fire as soon as you match bearings and achieve lock.”

“Yes Shai Alyt.”

“All ships will set flank speed and maintain it until contact, range will not save us, only fury. Take us into battle my friend.”

On the word of their commander the Minbari fleet made the jump. These were not the proud battleships of the Warrior caste, uniform in formation and decoration, they were a mixture of units launched over the last several hundred years. Ships which hadn't seen battle since the Garmak incursion flew in formation with modern vessels crewed by an eclectic mix of acolytes, apprentices and former cargo ship crews. The fleet possessed some Sharlins which naturally formed the core of the force, but most capital ships were of the older Sharaal class, a vessel very similar in appearance but smaller and armed with older fusion cannons instead of the feared Neutron beams.

Most of the fleet were frigates and light cruisers, a much higher percentage than the stately warrior caste battle lines. With relatively few capital ships Branmer had no choice but to fight an entirely different type of battle, one better suited to his smaller ships. While these lighter units had far less protection than a Sharlin they still packed a formidable punch, enough to be a serious threat to any Earth ship.

Shakiri had made the mistake of letting Earth dictate the battle to him, Branmer wasn't going to follow suit. The Minbari could not afford another defeat, he had to win, he had to take risks, he had to be aggressive. He had to fight like no Minbari had fought since the time of Valen.

The Minbari fleet emerged well ahead of the gate, almost at point blank range with Hamato's forces. Branmer had guessed the EA position and he hadn't been far wrong, his ships found their gunsights immediately filled with grey human steel.

“All ships, launch torpedoes!” Branmer called across the void. “Engage by sector, advance!”

Before they finished exiting hyperspace the Minbari fleet opened fire, a rippling wave of antimatter torpedoes fired off simultaneously, thousands of weapons hurtling towards the EA lines in a tactic ripped straight from the Earth Force rule book.

If the human crews were surprised they overcame it quickly, interceptor batteries burning into life sweeping a lattice of pulses across the bulk of the Minbari weapons. For whatever failings Earth force had technologically point defences were not one of them, the interceptors working furiously despite the short range and high speed of the projectiles.

Inevitably no system was perfect and several Earth ships were annihilated by the antimatter warheads, armour peeling away and internal structures turned to molten metal and gas.

Most missiles were stopped, which was fine by Branmer, the missiles were just the prelude.

EAS Soryu

“Enemy ships right on top of us! They're closing fast!” Commander Patel bellowed. “Second wave of missiles!”

“Keep hitting them, I want fighters forward right now!” Hamato grimaced. “Flanking units move up, I want a kill box established immediately!”

He looked at the display with a grim nod of appreciation. He had been expecting a closing battle, the classic approach of two fleets from long range to point blank. Instead the Minbari had jumped out at virtual point blank range and it was clearly deliberate. Even more worryingly they were going all out as soon as they arrived, saturating the EA lines and advancing at speed. This Minbari officer had thrown away his range advantage and chosen instead to go for impact, it was completely unexpected and against a lesser commander it could have thrown the defenders into chaos.

But Hamato knew his business, the Minbari were using a variation of human tactics and Hamato had been the man to help create Earth Force doctrine. He knew the missiles were as much a distraction as an attack, designed to force an opponent onto the defensive, to unbalance them, to make sure they did not get the first strike in. While his ships were defending themselves from missiles they could not engage the fast incoming enemy fleet units. Damn good trick, Hamato was forced to give credit where due.

“Carrier groups, ripple fire all nukes. Show these people how a saturation strike is done.”

“yes sir, plotting firing solution.”

“I want fighters up front clearing away hostile craft, throw in corvette groups three and four too, blast a way through their fighter screens so we can get some strike birds in to hit their main ships.”

Hamato narrowed his eyes, the Minbari had surprised him but he'd be damned if he let someone take control of his battlefield.

“All fleet units will open fire at will, all weapons free, hold nothing back. The Minbari want to go head to head with a dreadnought wall let them.”

Earth Force struck back and did so with fury, the cruiser and dreadnought groups laying into the Minbari. At this range the Nova squadrons didn't bother with their lasers and switched straight to pulse cannons giving them much greater punch. Salvoes of blue and orange pulses lashed like a hurricane in the face of the Minbari attack, joined by missiles launched from the Earth side in direct response to the affront of a Minbari fleet trying to use a human tactic.

Branmer knew this was coming and had prepared for it, he had his best protected cruisers up front, the bulky Troligan class armoured cruisers to absorb as much damage as possible. They were ugly and ungainly vessels unloved by most warriors but they were also spectacularly tough having being designed to close the range with Shadow vessels and survive several hits from their weapons. Even so in the face of concentrated fire from the EA dreadnoughts they weren't going to last long.

As they advanced they were backed by an assortment of frigates and escorts that went to work on the EA missile barrage. Like Hamato Branmer knew the missiles were as much a distraction as a direct attack, to counter that he used his escorts to screen his major warships letting their superlative point defences slice the human missiles out of the sky with irritating ease.

Branmer had learned, he had observed his enemy and he had learned how humans fought. He knew he would face massed missile strikes, he knew he would face a dreadnought wall and he had planned accordingly. His armoured cruisers took the brunt of the gunfire, the EA ships ripping them to pieces but buying time for his main force to get into position. His escorts dealt with the missiles, finding themselves preyed upon by human cruisers and fighters but once again preserving his core units from the human strikes.

Earth had played its hand as Branmer knew they would, it had cost him good ships and good crews, but it had not stopped him. Now it was his turn.

“Cruiser squadrons, flank speed, do not stop, do not slow down. Break through the human fleet.”

He unleashed his warships, and while mostly older models they still possessed a ferocious punch. The surviving Troligan cruisers peeled away as the cruisers took the lead blasting with every available weapon. At this range there was no question of missing, both sides were equally vulnerable with the older and smaller Minbari designs having no advantage in protection over the human warships.

The cruisers hit the dreadnought wall head on, the quickly narrowing space between the two sides witness to some of the most intense exchanges of energy in memory. Both sides were entirely on the offensive, every gun was blasting at the enemy with nothing reserved for self defence. The Novas were spitting fire at an almost automatic rate, an utterly ridiculous amount of charged particle pulses raining from each ship as gunnery officers overrode safety measures and kept pouring on salvoes.

The Minbari were just as fierce, the multiple beam cannons lancing and slicing, finding their targets and effortlessly parting Earth force armour. Crystal was shattered by the storm of pulse fire, massive warcruisers spun like toys as they were whittled away in orange and yellow infernos. They were too large and too close to take evasive action so didn't bother, in several cases ships were forced to plough through the glowing remnants of their sisters before meeting the same fate.

For all their losses the Minbari were not alone, dreadnoughts broke and fell apart as they were dissected by green beams. Those in the immediate path of the advance barely lasted a few seconds, pierced by dozens of beams simultaneously. Units further out kept hammering the Minbari and received fire themselves, ships losing half their weapons, their flanks turned to glowing metal, yet still fighting on with whatever systems remained.

It was absolute carnage, a close range brawl where the scale of the destruction meant no vessel could survive enemy attention for more than a few seconds no matter which side they were on. A few of Branmer's precious Sharlins were destroyed in the furnace, though most were screened by the Sharaal class ships which were unfamiliar to EA Captains and often mistaken for their more modern sisters.

Earth Force held firm but the energy and inertia of the Minbari fleet was simply irresistible. Where Shakiri had battered his fleet against the EA dreadnought wall and was destroyed Branmer carried through. He had done it on a carpet of dead bodies and burning ships but he had done it none the less and Beta Prime now lay ahead of him.

“Enemy fleet has broken through!”

“I see it Commander.” Hamato said perfectly calmly, observing the wedge of red dots passing his line of blue ones. “Redirect fighters, dreadnoughts will maintain fire and form for attack. I want wolf packs to head off the enemy and defend Beta Station.”

“Yes sir, on it.”

“This is not over, understand this clearly, we are not done yet.” Hamato resolved, flicking open a comms channel. “Captain Sheridan, your turn.”

The dreadnought wall simply rotated their guns and kept firing as the Minbari passed by, scoring more kills and accepting more losses. The Troligan cruisers that had peeled away now fell in behind Branmer's main units to once again soak up the fire from the dreadnoughts, their crews expertly changing positions with no micromanagement from above. The EA dreadnoughts closed the gaps in their formation where units had been lost, turning away from the shattered ruins of their lost brethren to pursue the Minbari. Unfortunately the dreadnoughts were painfully slow, there was no way they could intercept the Minbari before they reached the station and most of their fire was spent on the lesser ships Branmer was screening his main force with.

As this ferocious exchange went on the fighters were having their own duel almost unnoticed by the struggling titans around them. The Minbari fighters were still piloted by the warrior caste though the nature of their role meant they were far more flexible and open to new ideas when compared to the more mainstream clans. They accepted Branmer without question and fought bravely for him, accepting the challenge of fighting Earth Force without stealth with dark glee.

The Nial and older Tishkat fighters were not as agile as Starfuries but an edge in speed and they had learned new tactics to exploit that. While the EA fighters gave good account of themselves it was a much harder fight than previous battles and the Furies were having a hard time clearing a path for the bomber wings.

“Omega group, engines to flank, form on me.” Sheridan set to work, pushing back on his seat and setting his jaw. He'd watched the Minbari break through and knew this was not going well, however Earth still had a formidable presence on the battlefield and was far from out of the game.

“Minbari fleet is heading straight for Beta Prime.” Carrol warned. “Estimate contact in ten minutes.”

“They can outrun our dreadnoughts but not our other ships, and not us.” Sheridan observed. “Bring us up on their right flank, we'll focus on their capital ships, try and thin them out and slow them down.”

The destroyers began their counter attack, picking up speed as their powerful engines and reactors trained at their limits. Branmer's older ships had the disadvantage of less efficient drive systems than the latest warrior caste ships, and his eclectic mix of cruiser and frigate designs had frequently been constructed as escort and support ships without the need for high speed gravitic drives. While the Novas were being left behind Hamato's cruiser units were inching closer and in the distance the dark shapes of rail frigates and corvettes were looping around to cut off the enemy advance.

“Multiple human warships on our flanks.” Neroon warned. “They're engaging.”

“Maintain course.” Branmer confirmed his orders. “We can fight a running battle with cruisers, fighter status?”

“Heavily engaged but staying close, they have a discipline I didn't expect.”

“My faith in them was well placed. We need our escorts to provide a screen against missiles, we can't put them on anti fighter duty. Our pilots are the only thing keeping us from being bombarded by fusion bombs, we need ten more minutes.”

A unit of Hyperion cruisers drew up alongside, the spindly design catching Branmer's interest for a while. There wasn't much beauty to it but he could see it's function. The design was primitive, even compared to other human ships it looked outdated, but they still had respectable firepower. Was it not a ship of this type that had sent Dukhat to the next life?

The human ships opened fire as they flew parallel to the Minbari fleet, Branmer's ships shooting back with deadly affect. One by one the Hyperions fell out of formation, some disabled, others torn to pieces by direct hits. He watched them float into the distances spewing flames to be passed by fresh ships taking their place in greater numbers. Minbari ships began to fall behind, the humans deliberately targeting the weakly protected drive fins. It was a good tactic, Earth didn't need to destroy his ships, just slow them down enough so the dreadnoughts chasing him could catch up and immolate any stragglers.

Branmer watched with pride as his fleet adjusted, reorientating to defend against a flank attack using the tactics he had shown them. They reacted smoothly and decisively, the mark of true soldiers validating everything he had worked for. Whatever the outcome he was honoured to be part of this fleet.

“We're coming up on target.” Carrol called. “Cruiser units are taking a beating.”

Sheridan winced at the sight, the Hyperions were dishing out plenty of damage but they simply couldn't take the sort of hits a dreadnought could. They were being shot to pieces at an alarming rate, their path littered with burning wrecks, disabled ships and escape pods.

“We need to take some of the heat off those ships, bring us down on a scything attack, set target plots accordingly and engage at will.”

The six destroyers shifted like liquid metal, turning and flowing into their new vectors, main weapons twisting and tracking, missile bay doors popping open with brief gusts of cold air. While Earth had beaten the Minbari jammers the enemy ships were still capable of deploying conventional ECM to create a blanket of interference around them. While Sheridan could cut through it his ships had to get in close which was going to be a hair raising experience.

Ahead several Hyperion task groups were parallel with the Minbari broadside on exchanging salvoes of fire like some ancient battle in the age of sail. The cruisers were pushing themselves to their limits, engines roaring furiously, their escorting frigates and corvettes keeping pace a little more easily. Both sides were suffering but the Minbari seemed to have the upper hand.

“Target lock, forward guns engaging.”

The Destroyer group cut across the battlefield at a sharp angle unleashing their heavy laser armament as the closed, the powerful beams spearing through the closest Minbari warships. The Agamemnon raced through first, cutting a Minbari frigate in two as she focused her laser cannons on a single point. After her the Athena, Ariadne, Churchill, Alexander and Apollo all followed suit, each ship claiming a victim with their initial strike.

The turned sharply away below the cruiser line avoiding their fields of fire unloading broadside missiles and a hail of shots from their secondary turrets into the Minbari ranks before moving away and letting the aft batteries score a few more hits.

“Bring us around for another run, change our speed and vector, keep them guessing.” Sheridan ordered. He was relieved his ships had performed as expected, as a brand new design there was always uncertainty but in this instance the Omega class had just validated itself.

“Minbari fleet is shifting formation, I read heavy cruisers moving to block our path.”

Sheridan checked the read outs, a cluster of intimidating warcruisers were moving back and taking up a position on the flank. The Minbari had cleared recognised the Omega group as a threat to take seriously and were ready for his next strike. The cruisers moved quickly and decisively, cutting a quartet of Hyperions to ribbons in an instant as they tried to contest the area.

“That's our new target.” Sheridan gritted his teeth and accepted the challenge. “Hit them with lasers first, then switch to pulse cannons, maximum charge.”

“Copy that, intercept course plotted.”

“Reset formation for direct assault and execute.”

The six Omegas shifted from line formation into a circle and accelerated towards the Minbari. The waiting warcruisers broke off to meet them, changing course and advancing head on. Even at range Sheridan could see they were not Sharlins but still represented a significant enemy.

The Omegas fired first, outranging the elderly warships, but where their main guns had easily pierced the lighter Minbari ships these cruisers were a tougher proposition. The red beams cut across the forward hulls leaving vicious burning scars, punching through the outer armour but failing to slice through the main belt. The EA ships shifted their targets, the beams dancing back and forth to strip away weapon emplacements and sensors, snapping off the exposed drive fins and boiling away the outer surfaces of the cruisers.

Moments later the Minbari fired back, a mix of fusion beams and antimatter streams that slammed into the EA ships with exceptional fury. The Agamemnon shuddered as several tons of armour was blasted away, deep scars forming on her gravity sections. The new armour held against the Minbari weapons, the older guns not having the armour piercing abilities of the newer neutron weapons, but they were still dangerous if they could score more hits.

“Switch to pulse cannons, barrage fire!”

The destroyers continued to hurtle for the Minbari ships, altering their attack profile and hitting them again. This time the effects were more dramatic, the orange pulses detonating on impact to crack and gouge the Minbari armour. The warcruisers had fared quite well against lasers but the shock and explosive effects of the pulse weapons were a different story. They continued to fight but quickly succumbed to the pummelling. First one, then another, and finally the entire group ceased fire as they were reduced to misshapen and gnarled hunks of metal and crystal. Glowing pieces of coral against the black.

“Enemy task force down.” Carol reported. “We have damage to habitat sections and secondary sensors, number three missile bay is out of action.”

“We can live with that, set us up on another attack, keep up the pressure.”

Branmer kept one eye on the distance readouts to Beta Prime, the large station had already launched a significant number of fighters and had been reinforced by several frigate units. Alone it wasn't much, but Branmer did not like the idea of being caught between the station and chasing human warships.

“I have readings from the station Shai Alyt, I'm detecting a minefield, defence platforms and numerous fighters.” Neroon warned. “Even with the primitive weapons our enemy uses the station is exceptionally well defended.”

“So I see.” Branmer nodded. “This is close enough for us, detach fast attack squadrons, all other units hard about.”

On his word the Minbari fleet once again completely altered its formation and mission, turning fully around and decelerating hard catching the pursuing cruisers by surprise. They reorganised themselves from an advancing enemy into a solid defensive line in about thirty seconds, a feat of skill and discipline even the EA would have trouble matching.

“Battle line drawn up Shai Alyt, we're facing the human dreadnought forces.” Neroon reported. “Fast frigate squadrons are proceeding to attack the station.”

“We'll delay the human fleet here, buy some time for the strike units.” Branmer affirmed. “Be ready to jump on my order, we don't want to be here for a second longer than necessary.”

“I don't see what happened.” Commander Patel frowned angrily. “The Minbari main force just turned around, their forming dead ahead of us, standard barrier configuration.”

“Not all of them.” Hamato grimaced. “Several units are burning for the station, they're picking up speed, they'll easily outrun our cruiser and frigate packs.”

“What do we do sir?”

“We have no choice but to engage the main Minbari fleet, we can't go around them.” Hamato shook his head. “Cut engines, all dreadnoughts assume battle formation, open up the A-arcs and standby for broadside fire.”

“Yes sir, forces responding.”

The change in strategy had thrown the EA off for a few moments, the cruiser units flying past the Minbari core fleets and struggling to turn around, their elderly thrusters having nowhere near the agility and performance of the old Minbari ships. Branmer had been playing Earth, hiding his true capabilities. Now he had released his fastest ships and caught the EA pursuit out of position. It would take time for the cruisers and frigates to turn around and engage him and for those few vital minutes he could focus entirely on the EA dreadnoughts.

“All fighters will focus on the Minbari frigate groups, intercept them immediately.” Hamato ordered. “Send in the bombers.”

“We haven't cleared the fighter screens yet sir, casualties will be high.”

“Send them in anyway, we need to stop those warships.”

“Understood sir.”

“And get Sheridan over there, see how fast these new ships really are.”

The Earth fleet pressed on, the dreadnought groups unleashing their fury against the Minbari warcruisers which responded in kind, both forces determined to annihilate the other for the sake of their homeworlds. Neither side could afford a defeat here and the crews knew it, the need for victory pushing them to suicidal levels of bravery.

EA Badger class bombers now began their attack runs, wings and bays loaded with nuclear missiles. While similar to the regular furies the badgers were two seaters and significantly heavier with a longer fuselage packed with heavy weapons. They were formidable against light warships but too slow and lumbering to deal with most fighters, especially Minbari craft.

Reserve Starfury squadrons went in with the bombers as close escorts, the advanced units weary from constant battle doubling their efforts to tie down enemy warplanes and give the Badgers a chance. The Minbari of course knew what was happening and were prepared, the modern Nials continued to engage starfuries while the older generations of Minbari fighters broke off and intercepted the bombers, tangling with the escorting furies on the way.

Space around the Minbari fast frigates deteriorated into a vicious fast moving battle as squadrons pressed forward, regrouped, then attacked again. The bombers suffered grievously, their heavy armour all but useless against Minbari weapons, but never the less they pressed their attack runs and began to score hits knocking down a pair of frigates in the bright flash of a nuclear impact.

The Agamemnon cruised past the edges of the Minbari cruiser line spitting fire, ripping through a Torotha class light cruiser like paper, the surprised ship too focused on the EA dreadnoughts to notice the distant Omega. This was the role Sheridan had imagined playing when he had seen the abilities of his ship, picking off targets in the enemy fleet while the main battle raged.

“Captain, priority orders, we are to break off and intercept Minbari frigates heading for Beta Prime.”

“Acknowledge orders.” Sheridan nodded, switching his thoughts to the new challenge with practised efficiency. “Alright helm, take us about, we've got some catching up to do.”

“Omega group responding, altering course.”

The warships circled back around, firing a few more volleys as they reorientated and began to advance. The battle beside them was once again a cauldron of energy weapons, the Minbari fleet holding a curved front as hamato pushed forward from several directions, pinning them with his dreadnoughts and attempting to turn their flanks with his cruisers.

“Contact Starboard! Sharlin class!” Carol yelled. “Two vessels, they are locking on!”

“Evasive port! Come about and engage!” Sheridan barked quickly, instantly recognising the threat for what it was. Two Sharlin cruisers had emerged from the cover of their sisters taking Sheridan by surprise, the two capital ships a serious challenge for his task force.

“Incoming!”

“Brace for contact!”

The lead Sharlin hit the Agamemnon as she turned, the green beam slicing down the forward quarter of the ship. The improved armour performed amazingly well, it saved the ship from being cut to pieces, but the impact still cored through the outer hull and triggered a series of internal explosions that puffed out flame and shining debris.

“Heavy damage to the forward decks! Major fire registered in the hangar bay!”

“Vent those decks before the fighter munitions cook off!” Sheridan shouted above the alarms, the entire ship shaking violently as the rotating sections fought to maintain gravity. “Load energy mines! I want a fleet strike!”

“Energy spike, she's firing again!”

This time both Sharlins aimed at the same target, the second ship in line. The green beams caught the Ariadne and worked back and forth across the hull, systematically stripping away the armour and piercing the heart of the vessel. The Ariadne disappeared in a sheet of flame, several chunks of debris pelting the Agamemnon with a deafening clang.

“Get us close! Energy mines?” Sheridan gripped his chair, fingers like claws.

“Ready!”

“Fire!”

The bow launchers opened up with the technology recently acquired from the Narn, the weapons replacing the massive plasma cannons of the Nova class. At this range the mines didn't have time to burst at a preset distance, instead they and four others fired from the Apollo and Churchill slammed into the lead Sharlin directly and consumed it in bright white light, the antimatter warheads eating the crystal hull.

From the glare of the dying warcruiser the Agamemnon emerged at full speed, trailing fire from its wounds with its hangar bay a tangled mess of torn metal. It did not pause or hesitate, its forward guns slamming pulses into the second Sharlin at point blank range, the weapons alternating modes to stutter between beam and pulse shots in a continuous barrage that hammered the mighty blue cruiser.

A Sharlin was a strong enemy but it wasn't invincible, at this distance the Agamemnon put every shot within a couple of metres of each other, drilling through the heavy armour and vaporising the unprotected internal decks until finally something critical exploded. The destroyer turned aside from the searing explosion and cloud of molten debris, satisfied with its vengeance.

“Resume course.” Sheridan growled. “Put an end to this right now.”

The Minbari frigates went through the minefield at full speed, guns firing in every direction with pin point accuracy destroying the mines in vast quantities. The sheer number of mines meant that many had a chance to act before they were destroyed, the small constructs launching their handful of missiles or firing their lone plasma cannons with some effect but not nearly enough to justify their existence. Superior Minbari fire control let even the relatively old task force pass through unscathed and focus on the station and its perimeter.

Beta Prime was well armed and built stronger than most civilian bases, but it certainly didn't have dreadnought grade armour and while it was a huge target it would not last long against Minbari weapons. Its fighter and frigate screens moved forward and began to attack, the station itself opening up with long range missiles in support.

The Minbari took casualties and move don, absorbing their losses without flinching. The EA Artemis frigates were good opponents for the Minbari Tinashi class ships, armed as they were with rail guns and equipped with surprisingly tough armour for their size. Unfortunately they remained generally outclassed and buckled under the enemy advance, losing ships at an alarming rate.

Once through the minefield the Minbari split their forces, the bulk headed for Beta Prime while smaller units focused on the supply clusters around the station, gatherings of cargo pods locked together in massive trees holding fuel, spare parts and other non-perishable items. By splitting their force they made life a little easier for Earth Force and opened themselves to more damage but also let themselves bypass some of the human wolf packs and hit less well defended targets.

Resistance stiffened as they approached the station, defence platforms adding missile and plasma fire to the maelstrom with Beta Prime itself finally weighing in with its own defence grid, a formidable barrage of energy fire that wiped five frigates out of the sky in one moment.

“Targeting enemy frigates, we have lock.”

Sheridan nodded.

“Take them.”

The Agamemnon and her remaining sisters leapt into the battle, chewing through the rear echelons of the Minbari frigate force and quickly dispatching their targets. The fast strike force did not break, even though they faced a vicious wall of fire ahead, EA frigates in their ranks, and now Sheridan cutting them off from support they pressed ahead determined to reach the station.

“Captain, we have several enemy ships destroying the supply clusters.” His XO warned.

“Stay focused on the station, the clusters are unmanned but there are half a million people on Beta.”

His fleet lanced into the Minbari, passing several ships and blasting them with their flank guns. The frigates fired back when they could and inflicted damage, but most were destroyed before they could take a toll, the destroyer group tolerating no resistance.

“We're catching up on the lead ships, they're locking on to Beta Prime!”

“Like hell.” Sheridan snapped. “Engineering, redline the engines! I need everything there is right now!”

The Agamemnon jolted ahead as emergency power was dumped into the thrusters, the edge of the great cylinders beginning to melt in a ragged pattern. She scored another kill, then another, her pulse cannons finding no difficulty with the weak rear armour of the light enemy ships. It was almost over, just three ships remained and as Sheridan watched the lead one was obliterated by the station defence grid.

The last two frigates fired on the station cutting deep into its hull, but it was too little and too late. The Agamemnon tore through one of the ships while Beta Prime finished the last, the station wounded with a few deep glowing scars but still largely intact and operational.

“Main frigate force destroyed, we've just got a few stragglers left.” Carol reported. “Beta Prime reports damage is under control.”

“Bring us around to target the stragglers.” Sheridan ordered but he need not have bothered, the isolated Minbari ships among the supply clusters were rapidly falling to the surviving EA frigates and bombers. The few that remained made the jump to hyperspace after finishing off the nearest targets, deciding not to push their good luck.

“Our frigate groups have withdrawn or have been destroyed.” Neroon reported solemnly. “The human station remains.”

“It does, but we destroyed a lot of their supply depots in the process. With luck that will be sufficient.” Branmer accepted turning aside from the main battle. “Withdraw the fleet, there's nothing more to gain today, mission complete.”

Neroon set to work, the act of disengaging from a pitched battle far harder than it sounded. The Minbari ships loosed off a final ripple salvo of missiles to buy them a few moments of time, the EA fleet responding to the attack as it had to and lessening the pressure enough for the Minbari to loosen their battle line and initiate jump.

The vortexes opened between the two forces shielding the Minbari as they left, using their own temporary beacons to vanish into hyperspace and away from pursuit. Behind them they left more than half their strength and three hundred Earth Force wrecks.

“No pursuit Shai Alyt.” Neroon confirmed.

“Let us hope we have given the Council what it needs, a little breathing room and something that can be shown as a victory.”

“Is it a victory?” Neroon asked.

“We'll know in a week. Either Earth will halt its campaign or they'll invade us.”

“I don't feel particularly reassured.”

“Nor do I.” Branmer exhaled. “But have faith my student, I am only just beginning.”


	13. Chapter 13

13

Beta Durani

The ship that punched through hyperspace was an alien design unknown to Earth space, a two kilometre long super dreadnought that lit up sensors across the system. The vessel boasted a long spike shaped main hull with stubby wings bristling with heavy weapons, a stern studded with semicircular gravitic drives and purple glowing thrusters, while its main body boasted dozens of smaller gun turrets.

The vessel was running with limited ECM, enough to prevent detailed scans of its interior though not enough to hide the scale of its reactors. Most notable though was the colours marking the hull, a base of yellow with intricate black patterns swirling in a unique style over the ship. It was instantly recognisable as a Dilgar vessel, and like the Sekhmet class prototypes from the war years each ship bore the unique markings of one of the great Dilgar clans.

The patterns on this particular ship were universally known and elicited immediate and grim reactions in those who saw it, the weaving of lines and curves etched in the mind of the galaxy. There were only three Valari class flagships in the Dilgar Navy, one for each major fleet given the markings of the Warmaster who commanded them, and in this case the warship wore the unmistakable markings of Warmaster Jha'dur.

It cruised towards Beta Prime on a fixed course and a regulated speed passing between the ranks of EA warships recovering from the battle that had ended only four hours before. For all its power this lone ship was no match for even a weakened EA fleet and not long ago it would have been unthinkable to see such a vessel surrounded by its former opponents acting so easily and casually, perhaps arrogantly.

“She's coming to a halt.” Commander Carol reported. “Signalling the station for permission to send aboard a delegation.”

Sheridan leaned over the communications console of the Agamemnon with a deep frown.

“What the hell is a Dilgar battleship doing out here?”

“Unknown sir, it must have already been close when we were under attack.”

“Pretty convenient.” Sheridan snorted.

“Sir, I have the Admiral.”

“Better patch him through.”

A moment later Hamato's stern and lined face appeared on one of the smaller video monitors wearing a classic neutral expression.

“Captain, have you examined our new guest?”

“Yes sir, we're getting all the data we can but it won't be much.”

“Are you aware of the markings?”

“Yes sir. Is it her?”

Hamato nodded curtly. “She's requesting a face to face meeting, she claims to have valuable data.”

“Do you believe her sir?”

“Jha'dur is a manipulator of the highest order, a schemer and a gamer who likes nothing more than toying with lives.” Hamato said bluntly. “But the Dilgar have so far proven true to their word, surprised as I am to admit it.”

“You're going to allow it?”

“I see no choice. While the source is repulsive she may in fact have information we can use, and it is unusual for her to leave Alaca.”

“I guess having a bounty on her head that could buy a small moon would probably make her a bit of a recluse.”

“She wants to talk to me, I expect she sought me out deliberately, but I want you there too Captain.”

“Me sir?”

“Your father is a master diplomat, which makes you the closest thing we have to a negotiator right now out here. Also if things become violent I could use your help.”

“You think she'll try to attack us?”

“Her, no. I on the other hand...” Hamato exhaled. “Meet me on Beta Prime.”

Fifteen minutes later Sheridan was stood in the docking bay with his palms sweating and a pair of Marines at his shoulder. In a few moments he would be face to face with the closest thing the galaxy had to the devil, a literal embodiment of evil in the classic sense. Sheridan believed the word evil was vastly overused, he tended to shy away from such dramatic turns of phrase, but in this case he felt entirely justified in describing Jha'dur as pure unreserved evil.

But it was not her that had him concerned, intimidating as she was Sheridan did not fear her. For all she had done she was still the avatar of a broken down people, a remnant of a dead society hanging on by her fingernails. No, it wasn't her, it was Hamato. The Admiral was a legend in the Force, utterly unshakeable, unmoved by triumph or disaster, even getting him to raise an eyebrow required an epoch making event. And yet this paragon of control had expressed doubts about his ability to restrain himself in the same room as Jha'dur.

That had bothered him. Sheridan had never faced Jha'dur in battle, all he knew of her came from stories and the history vids and it was enough to repulse him. But Hamato had been her nemesis, or at least the closest anyone had managed to the role and his failure to end her at Balos had ultimately driven him out of the Navy. Now he was within throttling range of her.

That this person could crack the restraint of humanity's most unmoveable leader worried Sheridan, and as he considered the impossible image of Hamato snapping he was left with the question of whether he actually would try to save her life. There was not an easy answer.

Finally the airlock ahead finished cycling, the doors parting to release the destroyer of worlds. She was surprisingly small physically, slender of frame and not especially tall, but her presence and confidence was engineered to dominate. She was obviously a military officer used to giving orders and expecting obedience. Her confidence was no doubt part of that, the need to inspire followers, to grant them faith in her decisions even if she did not share it herself. It was the way of command and Sheridan often acted the same way.

But there was a different level to her, something Sheridan did not reflect. He was a soldier, a man of duty doing what had to be done to protect those whom he loved and represented. But Jha'dur, that wasn't her reason for being in uniform. Sheridan served his nation, but with Jha'dur it was more like her nation served her. Sheridan would do anything for Earth while Jha'dur would do anything to Alaca. It was no secret that she had the blood of tens of millions of Dilgar on her hands beside the alien worlds she had afflicted, if she had love for her people, or anything else for that matter, she did not show it.

Alongside her followed a pair of additional Dilgar, an even smaller frail looking officer with sandy fur and at the exact opposite side of the scale an intimidatingly large and powerful looking soldier dressed in an unfamiliar black and grey uniform carrying a battered looking rifle. The larger Dilgar stood ahead of the other two and slammed the stock of her rifle on the deck with a loud attention drawing clang. She drew herself up and announced their arrival.

“Here stands a Warmaster!” She filled the bay with the words, both statement and challenge, not flinching ahead of the two Marines who shared a glance between them no doubt weighing their odds against the formidable warrior.

“Thank you Fei’nur, stand easy.” Jha'dur breezed past her guardian and approached Sheridan with a smile that offered nothing.

She halted in front of him in the blue uniform of a Warmaster, a less ornate version with minimal decoration presumably a duty uniform. She sized him up briefly, placing his face in her memory, assessing his bearing and stature and concluding that they were satisfactory.

“Captain John Sheridan, I didn't expect to be greeted by such an illustrious officer.” She spoke pleasantly. “Forgive my Shadow,” she referred to her guardian, “she likes to do things by the book.”

The tall female relaxed her posture a little and slung her rifle, but her eyes never stopped surveying the area and those within it.

“Honestly I was expecting a platoon of armed guards.”

“It can always be arranged.”

“Steer away from such hollow responses Captain, they don't suit your sincere nature.” Jha'dur chided. “Is the Admiral waiting?”

“He is.”

“Then please lead on.”

Sheridan marched her through customs stiffly keeping his formal military bearing. He didn't stop or break stride until they reached the turbolift, ignoring the glances from the weary and wounded troops crammed into the departure lounges waiting for shuttles out to hospital ships. Jha'dur was likewise unconcerned despite being within range of hundreds of soldiers who would have little hesitation in simply beating her to death as a favour to the universe. She knew they wouldn't, unlike Drazi or Narn forces the humans were far too disciplined to lynch her while she was under Sheridan's protection. Her two companions also seemed calm but from small ticks he noticed they were both far more on edge than the Warmaster, or at least less able to hide it.

They stepped into the lift and Sheridan hit the controls, bracing himself for the longest elevator journey of his life.

“The Minbari hate you.” Jha'dur said out of nowhere.

“I got that impression.” Sheridan returned concisely, not really wanting a casual chat with Satan's favourite sister.

“You tricked the Black Star into destruction using a dishonourable tactic, faking a distress signal to lure it into a killzone.” Jha'dur smiled. “The fact they used a ship in fake distress to lure your ships into a killzone apparently not registering with them. They really have no sense of irony, or poetic justice perhaps.”

“The Minbari hate me then.” Sheridan shrugged. “Somehow I'll find the courage to live on.”

The Warmaster laughed, catching Sheridan a little off guard.

“They just despise you for using their own trick better than they did. What took them layers of coordination and excessive planning you did with a wrecked ship and a few mines. You could not ask for a better bit of symbolism Captain, if you were to boil this war down to its most basic facets it is human tenacity and adaptability against Minbari technology and raw power. It could easily go either way, but I would certainly prefer Earth to win.”

“Why?”

“I have reasons.” She replied simply. “But I'll go into them with your Admiral, I trust you will be there?”

“Admiral Hamato has asked for my presence and opinions.”

“Good, you are a soldier Captain, no nonsense straight thinking Man of war. Bedrock of Earth Force, I learned to respect people like you Captain and so too will the Minbari. War Expert Shai'jhur will join us, she is also plain speaking.”

The lift arrived at its destination with the sealed off meeting room waiting for them. More usually such rooms held meetings between business magnates or government officials, fairly small and informal with a single desk and a video screen. Two guards on the door stood to attention as Sheridan approached, the Captain standing them at ease.

“The Admiral is inside and waiting sir.”

“Very good Corporal, seal the room, no interruptions.”

“Yes sir.”

“Your aide can join us.” Sheridan addressed Jha'dur. “But your guard will need to wait outside.”

The Warmaster gave a nod of assent with Fei'nur breaking off to stand opposite the EA Marines and glare at them.

With that resolved the door whirred open and retracted into the wall, the Admiral sitting at the desk with his eyes locked on a status report. He carefully and precisely set aside the paper as Jha'dur and Shai'jhur walked in, Sheridan bringing up the rear and closing the door behind him locking the four of them into the confined space. Hamato did not stand, his expression stony and his eyes hard. He was a man who was still consolidating his forces after a hard battle and assessing casualty reports, he had a very limited tolerance for distraction on a good day and this was not a good day.

“Warmaster.” He gestured at the chair opposite, Sheridan slinking off to the side to stand beside the wall and keep a low profile, Sjai'jhur mirroring him. Despite his presence having been requested he doubted he would have much to offer, this was a contest between master strategists and he counted himself privileged to simply be in the same room as this event. War Expert Shai'jhur must have been having similar thoughts as she simply stood at ease and began absorbing every detail of the meeting.

Jha'dur took the seat, her demeanour pleasant and open, utterly against type for someone of her reputation. Sheridan guessed it was a facade, a screen to deflect casual analysis, but Hamato wasn't about to be taken in by it.

“Thank you for receiving me Admiral.” Jha'dur said by way of greeting. Hamato had not welcomed her or offered to shake her hand, if she was upset by the apparent snub she didn't show it. “I apologise for the short notice but I think you'll agree it is justified.”

“You claim to have information for us.” Hamato spoke flatly. “Information too sensitive to transmit.”

“Right here.” She produced a data crystal. “My people have considerable influence in the galaxy, more than you may think.”

“I am sure.” Hamato remained unimpressed. “What is it?”

“Straight to the point.” Jha'dur half smiled. “No interest in how we got this? Whether our methods were sound?”

“It will depend on whether what you say is worth my time. So far you haven't given me anything.”

“We both know that isn't true.” Jha'dur beamed. “I know the game Admiral, you have been scrutinising every move I make, every inflection and twitch of a muscle. You feign obstinance but you are extremely alert, and you have two questions. The information, well thats probably the lesser of the two right now. You want to know why I came here to deliver it in person.”

“Why don't we answer one question at a time.” Hamato steered. “What is on the crystal.”

“As you wish, it's sensor data combined with some profiles.”

“What kind of profiles?”

“Everything we have on the Minbari fleet commanders.” She savoured Hamato's reaction, he barely flinched but for once he looked her in the eye, and in this game the tiny reaction was seismic. “And I assure you they are extremely detailed.”

“Where would you, a Warmaster, come across this sort of information?”

“I have a friend or two on Minbar. Try not to look so surprised.”

Hamato's face was utterly frozen.

“How do you have friends on Minbar?”

“Trying to determine if I've been giving Earth secrets to them? Wondering if I've been sat at a desk on Minbar telling them all about Earth?” Jha'dur cocked an eyebrow. “I haven't, and even if I offered they don't care. Most Minbari have no interest in learning about you, they have no curiosity. A dull people, not nearly so entertaining as you.”

“Are we your entertainment?”

“In some ways, and it would be a shame to lose that.” Jha'dur nodded. “But obviously Earth is far more than that, so we help you.”

“What about your Minbari friends?”

“I use the term loosely. I met them after Balos, it was informal as the Minbari are quite isolationist but seems I had attracted the attention of a senior warrior named Sineval. He was, well, an idiot but a useful one. Ambitious, prideful, lot of repressed anger which this war has let him release.”

“Have I fought him?”

“No, even the Minbari are smart enough not to give him real power.” Jha'dur scoffed. “His clan was a moving force behind this war, very militant and aggressive. Happily your forces gutted theirs and they have lost much power and prestige, their removal has made a negotiated end to this war a possibility, if a somewhat distant one right now.”

“Yet the Minbari continue to fight, and with increasing effectiveness.”

“That is because they reshuffled their forces and brought back Branmer. Do you know the name?”

“Signals Intel intercepted a few mentions, former priest who changed roles. Last we heard he had been sent home.”

“He's back, you faced him today.” Jha'dur informed. “And he learned his lessons well.”

Hamato nodded briefly in agreement. “The Minbari fleet that attacked here was more fluid and more dynamic, they were rough around the edges and not nearly as well trained as previous fleets, but they made up for it with their flexibility.”

“That is Branmer's influence, he doesn't believe in rigid battles and managing every aspect, he's making his officers learn to think for themselves which is rare in Minbari society. Sineval hates him, which means he's probably every bit as good as his reputation suggests.”

“We're looking to force battle at Jericho, our fleets are ready to intercept him.”

“They won't, you can tell Ferguson not to bother.” Jha'dur waved the idea aside. “Branmer isn't heading back toward Minbari space, he headed up past Cyrus colony towards Narn space.”

“Narn space?” Sheridan interjected. “Why the hell would he do that?”

“Because my good Captain Branmer is a master of his craft.” She tossed him the data crystal. “Put that in the computer.”

He checked with Hamato, the old officer giving him a nod.

“Branmer is the best weapon the Minbari have.” Jha'dur said with some note of admiration. “He knows how to fight a modern war, a war where he cannot rely on the usual Minbari advantages of stealth and superior ships. He knows he has to make his own advantages, manipulate circumstances to favour him. He understands that sometimes defeat is just preparation for victory.”

“What do you mean?”

“You defeated him today Admiral, drove him off, saved the station.” Jha'dur remarked. “A sound tactical victory, but Branmer was not defeated, he did what he had to do, he sacrificed many lives to do it, but he might just have won the war.”

The screen activated showing a map of the major powers crossed by a wobbly network of jump routes.

“Branmer has had scouts laying beacons in hyperspace for weeks, setting up his own network just outside the main routes, it's dangerous but it works and it will be a miracle if you find them.”

“Beacons in hyperspace are a short term measure.” Sheridan noted. “They need to constantly burn thrusters to stay in position, once they run out of fuel the gravitic tides just carry them away.”

“That's true, and despite their advanced technology, even the Minbari beacons only last a month. However it is enough.”

She gestured at the map.

“We don't know how extensive his network is but it is clearly present across your space. It let him get to Durani without notice, and now it let him reach Cyrus, but he won't stay there, he isn't planning on hitting the colony.”

A light flashed on the Narn border.

“Last night a Narn sensor probe detected unknown ships transiting its location, Minbari ships. We back traced the route and found they had circled around EA space and plan to breach your border from the opposite direction. They crossed at Grid Epsilon a few minutes later.”

“Wait, Grid Epsilon?” Sheridan frowned. “We haven't heard anything about that, the whole sector is quiet.”

“Of course it is, they are following their own beacons out of range of yours. The Narn only detected them because that probe had enhanced sensors, a fluke.”

“Our main forces are concentrated here and at Jericho.” Hamato frowned. “With reserves at Orion, Proxima and Earth. We have virtually nothing in the Epsilon Sector or the League facing sectors.”

“The Minbari could burn down a third of the Alliance before we can respond.” Sheridan noted grimly.

“Could, but won't.” Jha'dur shook her head. “Branmer is a true warrior Admiral, he refuses to bomb population centres, he won't level defenceless worlds. ”

“How big was this Minbari fleet?”

“Substantial.” Jha'dur brought up the sensor returns. “At least one hundred capital ships, plus several hundred lesser vessels.”

“Mother of...” Sheridan caught himself. “Where did they come from?”

“Recalled from deep patrols, half built ships rushed through the shipyards and commissioned in haste, recently retired ships reactivated, battle damaged vessels from early battles brought back to service, that sort of thing. This fleet is the final reserve of the Warrior caste, the last real force they can scrape together without waiting for the new builds or mothballed fleets.”

Hamato looked at the screen carefully, a tiny twitch of his jaw revealing the realisation of exactly how dire this situation was.

“This fleet crosses the border heading down from Narn space. Branmer is heading up past Cyrus. He's going to combine forces somewhere within our territory.”

“My assessment also.” Jha'dur nodded. “It is a very dangerous force, less precise than the honed pre-war fleets but they still carry a technical edge and have two excellent commanders, Branmer and Neroon.”

“Tell me about Neroon.”

“A warrior, but not as blinkered as his brethren. Branmer has accepted him as a protege and is instructing him. What Branmer lacks in experience and tactical knowledge Neroon amply makes up for. Alone they are dangerous, but as a team they are extremely formidable.”

“A fleet of that power led by those two warriors?” Sheridan grimaced. “We've got nothing nearby that can stop them, we'd have to go after him ourselves.”

“Not just us, Ferguson too.” Hamato gritted his teeth. “He knew.”

“He did.” Jha'dur nodded leaving Sheridan apparently out of the loop.

“Who knew?”

“Branmer.” Hamato answered. “He knew the only threat to his combined fleet was our own combined fleet. That’s why he hit here.”

“But our losses weren't heavy, we can still go after him.”

“Can we?” Hamato raised an eyebrow, Sheridan's stomach suddenly sinking to his knees.

“The supply yards.”

“The supply yards.” Hamato confirmed. “He played us like a virtuoso. He knew our main weakness, our dependence on supplies, he knew how fast our ships go through fuel and munitions in a pitched battle and he used it against us.”

“What about Ferguson?”

“His ships expended most of their supplies driving back the other Minbari attack weeks ago, they were due to cycle back here for rest and refit while we took over holding the border. Those supplies were for him.” Hamato reminded.

“You can see it in his tactics, he led your ships on that long stern chase didn't he?” Jha'dur pointed out. “Made you follow him, burn through your fuel. Why not just jump closer to the station? Why not keep a reserve in hyperspace to hit the yards while the main force pinned you down? Because the supply yards were only half the battle, he needed your ships exhausted too. If he had just hit the yards your fleet would still be fully armed, you could have gone after him, but not today.”

Hamato closed his eyes for a long moment.

“He has a golden opportunity.” Jha'dur continued. “He has evaded your sensor nets, hamstrung your two main fleets, and now all of Alliance territory is at his feet and no one is going to be able to stop him from taking the most powerful fleet in this region and doing whatever he wants with it.”

“He's going for our industry?” Sheridan guessed. “Proxima?”

“You're thinking too small Captain.” Jha'dur shook her head. “Your Admiral knows.”

She inhaled and leaned back in her chair.

“Branmer is a great man, this is quite possibly the finest exercise in strategy I have ever seen. His objective is to win the war Captain, he can't do it by simply destroying ships because he knows you can just replace them faster than he can. He can't win a war of attrition so he needs to launch a decisive strike while he still has the resources to do so. These are the last real massed fleets he will have, this is his last chance, he isn't going to waste it. Branmer will try to end this war in one massive incredibly daring move, a final gamble with the last of the Minbari fleets. Do or die Captain, it is exhilarating to behold.”

Sheridan shook his head with dawning realisation.

“He's not going to...”

“Earth.” Hamato said flatly. “He's going to Earth.”

“It's logical when you look at it.” Jha'dur broke the silence. “You are a new stellar power, the bulk of your population and industry is still on your homeworld, the same as us or the Narn. What use are the ships at Proxima without the computer systems made on Earth? Or the precision components needed in laser and plasma weapons made in Earth laboratories and then shipped to the colonies? Your financial sector is almost exclusively Earth based, your scientific and research facilities, main government functions and bureaucracy, all Earth based.”

“So he attacks our main concentration of economic and industrial targets.” Hamato concluded. “Very efficient of him.”

“Your economy and industry is your greatest advantage, cripple it and you can't support the war any more. He wins the war in one strike.” Jha'dur passed on her observation. “Turning your strength into a weakness. Very daring strategy, I doubt any other Minbari would have the courage or vision to try such a plan.”

“We need to warn Earth Force Command.” Sheridan spoke quickly.

“Already done.” Jha'dur stated. “As I am telling you this the Dilgar and Narn Ambassadors are briefing your President. I just thought you should hear it from me first hand.”

Hamato frowned very briefly before moving on.

“Captain, take control of whatever supplies remain. We do not have the fuel to reach Earth so I need you to prioritise our most effective warships. Take fuel from damaged and less useful warships and fill up are better vessels. We might not be able to get all the fleet to Earth but we can get the best third or so of our ships there. It might be enough.”

“Yes sir.” Sheridan at once set into work, moving fast for the door.

“Inform Admiral Ferguson, ensure he knows the situation and order him to concentrate resources in his best ships and burn for Earth.”

“Risky, that leaves your border undefended.” Jha'dur noted.

“Carry out my orders Captain.” Hamato ignored her.

“Understood sir.”

Sheridan hurriedly departed leaving the Admiral and the Warmaster still with eyes locked

“War Expert Shai'jhur.” Jha'dur addressed her own subordinate. “Contact my ship, we'll be leaving soon.”

“Yes Warmaster, I'll make preparations to depart.”

They sat for a few moments in silence as both their officers set to work, the avalanche of activity beginning.

“Shouldn't you be running around giving orders?” She asked.

“I never need to run around.” Hamato said bluntly. “I have time, Captain Sheridan is highly skilled and quite capable of organising this without my oversight.”

“So here we sit.” She smiled. “Ask me.”

“Ask you?”

“Don't be coy Admiral, I know it's on your mind. Ask me why I didn't just give this data to a trusted courier, or simply let your President tell you. Why come so far to deliver this to you in person?”

“I already know the answer. Vanity.”

She snorted a laugh. “Nothing so banal Admiral, no, it is because I wanted to sit here and meet you. I'm your biggest fan.”

“I don't have time for your mockery.”

“It isn't mockery.” She looked slightly wounded. “It is genuine respect. I have fought many commanders and slaughtered most of them, not many have ruined my plans, and only you managed to really beat me. You defeated me at Markab, drove me right back to Balos where I returned the favour.”

“Barely.” Hamato noted.

“You were lauded as a hero, a military genius, but too often people use the word genius to label that which they do not understand. A nebulous concept. But I understand you Admiral, I know how you think and how you fight, I understand you and that gives me a perspective lesser people cannot share.”

“I doubt that.”

“There are perhaps four people in this galaxy who are on our level Admiral, just four who can really understand the full subtlety and innovation of our strategies. Beside you and I only Dar'sen and now Branmer can truly appreciate our works. We are a very exclusive club Admiral and I wanted to get your measure, make sure you weren't just lucky. I knew you would not simply sit down for a conversation so I used this to get in the same room as you.”

“And your opinion?”

“Not disappointed.”

“Well then, if that is all...”

“Leaving so soon? I thought you had time?”

“I do, I simply have no desire to spend it with you.”

“Direct as always.” She showed no offence. “My reputation can upset people, but I had hoped you would see beyond that.”

“I do, and I still have no interest in socialising.”

“You don't wish to speak with me about the Minbari? Hear my insights? Whatever your view of me you must appreciate my analysis. You know it will be accurate.”

“Probably, but I have developed my own analysis of Branmer. I have met him in battle, twice, you have not.”

“And after I travelled all this way.”

“Take your games elsewhere.” Hamato said soundly. “I don't have the time or patience to indulge your theatrics.”

“You hate me Admiral? For what I did?”

“Truly your powers of deduction are unrivalled.”

“And now you plan to weaponise sarcasm? You have some catching up to do.” She dismissed. “I understand your position, it is common enough, but also the product of a closed mind.”

“I prefer to think of it as the response of someone with a soul.”

“A soul? Don't start getting all Vorlon on me Admiral.” Jha'dur chuckled. “What I did I did with a purpose. No life I took was taken in vain, they all contributed toward something, some higher purpose.”

“I don't believe that, and neither do you.”

“That is ultimately the difference between us Admiral.” She leaned forward and scrutinised the human. “You have fought battles but you do not know what it is to kill. You take life but you do it with a word, a thought, a button. I understand death like you cannot, and because of that I understand life. Life is an exquisite thing, the only truly beautiful thing in this universe, and you will never truly understand that until you have held a life in your own hands and squeezed.”

“I am a soldier, I kill because it is the last option. You kill because you enjoyed it.”

“Of course I enjoyed it. Does that disgust you? I can tell it does and that is unfortunate.” She shrugged. “I can just sit here and tell you it was all for a grander cause, the survival of the species, that sacrifices had to be made and I regret what I was forced to do.”

She smiled coldly.

“ But it’s a lie. Certainly that is the official government policy, they might even believe it, but of the Warmasters alive today I'm the only one who had no problem getting my hands dirty. The rest are dead and gone.”

“Why?”

“It made me feel alive, it made every second last forever, it gave me a joy you will never understand. Don't give me that look Admiral, don't judge me when you haven't experienced the thrill of killing an entire world. It changes you forever, makes the life you lead before hand look like a dull grey picture with no sensation to it. Every life I took made me feel more alive, so yes, I did it as often as I needed to.”

“And what about the lives you took? Did you not think anything of them? The hopes you were extinguishing? The dreams they had? The ones they loved?”

“People are resources, biological machines that serve a function or do not. Do you feel bad when you drain a battery and toss it away? Why should I feel the same for a life? It's the same thing, don't insult me with this nonsense about the dignity of sentience.”

Hamato gently shook his head.

“All you are doing is confirming what I always suspected.”

“I see things better than you do, I see the laws and moral restrictions you labour under as the deluded tools of control they are. These laws and demands are made by conglomerations of the weak to hold down and crush the will of the strong, to destroy visionaries and steal the heart from them! They do it because they fear us, they fear true innovation and genius because they know we are a threat to them. They know they are inferior so use the weapon of society against us! But it only works if you let them! All you have to do is say no.”

She bared her teeth in a snarl of contempt as she tore through memories.

“I am free Admiral, free of everything, nothing holds me back, nothing tells me 'no you can't' anymore. I am on the outside looking in and that gives me a far greater perspective than you, I am here because I was born to it and because I fought every second of my life to get up here and to stay here. This is where I belong, this is what I was meant to do, this is what I was always going to become, and I feel nothing for those too weak to follow me. Not even pity.”

“Is that all?” Hamato asked. “or is there more to this theatre?”

“Theatre? It is the truth Admiral, it is the way of things and if you are as intelligent as you seem to be you must see it too.”

“I see many things Warmaster, but nothing that makes me discard the lives of innocent beings as a form of sadistic entertainment.”

“Innocence is a flawed concept Admiral, I never...”

“Why are you telling me all this? Why are you delivering these speeches to me? Are you trying to convert me to your philosophy?”

“No Admiral, I just want you to see me for what I am.”

“I already do, your problem is that you do not.”

“I know my own mind Admiral.”

“Perhaps, but I don't think you accept it. I have met people like you before Warmaster.”

“There are no people like me. I am unique, and because of that I am dangerous. Your experience of other people means nothing right now, it offers you no advantage when facing me.”

Hamato steepled his fingers, fixing the Warmaster with the full coldness of his gaze.

“The war council thinks you have changed, your people think you have changed, but you have not. You are still Deathwalker, the same hatred and need to prove yourself still fills you. But prove yourself to whom? Everyone you looked up to is dead. You are right, you are unique. There is no one like you and part of that is that you are completely alone. Not your lover, not your friends, not your worshippers, not your enemies, no one is in the same league as you and while you declare that fact with pride in truth it haunts you. You are not one of us, and as it is your greatest strength it is also your greatest weakness. Which, if I recall, was the basis of your entire military strategy. Strength into weakness.”

“You were paying attention after all then.” She allowed. “But I have proven myself, my achievements speak for themselves. My monument is in the hatred of my enemies, even you Admiral.”

“You're lying, you don't care what the galaxy at large thinks, you have already dismissed them as resources. Why should you suddenly value their opinions? Unless you were wrong and they do matter to you.”

“I am not wrong Admiral, though I am enjoying this little verbal assault course. If I am alone I accept that, it is the price I pay.”

“It is more than that.” Hamato reasoned. “You are obsessed with finding a worthy enemy, a peer so you are no longer utterly alone. You don't care if its a friend or enemy at this point, you just want to know you are not an aberration. It is your one need, you need an equal and you seek it wherever you go, it informs your every action, even politics. The Dilgar need a worthy ally, someone their equal and you settled on Earth, I assume the others were lacking?”

“Essentially yes, The Narn and Centauri are unreliable, the Minbari too stagnant, the Drazi too uncontrolled.”

“Nevertheless, a worthy race isn't a real solution to your problem.” Hamato continued. “You need someone just like you, you need proof that you are not in fact unique, that you are not a mistake of the universe. You want to be a part of something, even if it is just a partnership with a single being it will give you the validation that you need, that you are in some way like somebody else.”

“Are you telling me Admiral that my great desire in life is to be normal?” She grinned. “Perhaps I did overestimate your intelligence.”

“You do not fool me Deathwalker. You are afraid, you always have been.”

“You think I am afraid of you Admiral?”

“No, you do not fear me, or fleets or armies, or even death. What you fear is yourself, and even if there is another monster out there like you it will not bring you comfort. Fear will still dictate your existence Deathwalker, and no amount of blood and bravado will distract you from that simple truth. Here stands a Warmaster they say, but how far have you really come from that cold empty house as you struggled to feed yourself and brother?”

He pushed the chair back and stood.

“That's all I needed.”

“All you needed?”

“You were right, I had no desire to meet you face to face, but it was necessary. Earth is becoming increasingly dependent on the Dilgar and it is necessary to understand who we are allying with. You came here to assess me and in so doing allowed me to assess you.”

“Bravo.” She said simply. “And your analysis?”

“Hell would be a fouler place for your presence.” He delivered flatly. “But your personality is not up for debate, your motives are, and ultimately I believe that your reasons are genuine. I think your views are deeply warped and largely repulsive but Earth does not have the luxury of picking and choosing its allies these days.”

“I'll take that as a compliment.”

“You couldn't care less, you dismiss my opinions on morality because you do not believe I am qualified to pass judgement on you.” Hamato said simply. “You only care about my opinion of you as a commander.”

“And?”

“You are the most dangerous person in this galaxy.”

“Now that I will definitely take as a compliment.”

“Which only confirms my opinion of you.” Hamato exhaled quietly. “But I also agree you want to help Earth, for your own reasons, and this information is genuine.”

“Then let us shake hands Admiral, that is the custom is it not?”

She stood and extended a hand. After a brief moment of hesitation Hamato took it.

“To both our worlds, and to us.” She smiled, an expression Hamato did not return.

“It seems we need each other.” He said sombrely. “And God have mercy on our souls.”


	14. Chapter 14

14  
  
  
  
Earth  
  
  
  
“We're putting everything we can into the sky.” General Robert Lefcourt informed the President stoically, his uniform wrinkled from two days on duty with neither rest nor respite. Like most of Earth Force command Lefcourt was acutely aware that time was against them.  
  
“The local guard fleets are on alert and we've already activated any ships that were undergoing refit in the area.” General Denisov added. “We're lucky in having several first rate units at Mars.”  
  
“Like who?” President Levy asked.  
  
“Ninth Dreadnought Division.” Denisov replied. “Ten dreadnoughts and ten battlecruisers under Joe Tennant.”  
  
“They'll be the core of the force, though we have other capital ships too.” Lefcourt added. “They are the most experienced ships and crews in the area.”  
  
“Can they hold the Minbari?”  
  
“Alone? no.” Denisov stated. “Even with the defence grid backing them the Minbari fleet will be too powerful. We're calling in all our local forces but we have to be cautious too in case this is a giant bluff.”  
  
  
President Levy frowned.  
  
“How can it be a bluff?”  
  
“Our best theory is the Minbari want to cripple our industry and make a highly symbolic attack. Hitting Earth does both those things but our opponent is very clever and Earth isn't the only major target.”  
  
“Both Mars and Proxima are in his path and are extremely valuable assets, those two worlds represent over three quarters of our ship building industry.” Lefcourt explained. “If we strip them of defences to protect Earth and Earth isn't his target...”  
  
“Then Branmer can kill our shipyards and cripple our navy.” Levy nodded.  
  
“We simply can't predict what he'll do, he's keeping his cards very close.” Denisov reluctantly informed. “Until he commits we can't afford to strip those fleets, but once he does we can have the Mars and Io fleets here in minutes.”  
  
“And Proxima?”  
  
“They have orders to move as soon as the Minbari pass them by. They're slow but should arrive within an hour of the Minbari.”  
  
“We also have Admirals Hamato and Ferguson burning for home as fast as possible with a sizable fleet. They should link up with the Proxima ships and arrive in force.”  
  
  
“Bottom line then Generals, and I want the honest truth.” Levy fixed the two officers with a firm stare. “Are we going to win this?”  
  
“There's no certainties in a battle like this, especially facing this man Branmer.” Denisov answered. “I can say that even in the worst case scenario he won't be able to wipe out all life on the planet, he won't have time and we don't think its his objective.”  
  
“However if he breaks through and moves into range of our major installations, we could be talking five hundred million casualties.” Lefcourt stated grimly. “Assuming the Minbari use anti matter weapons the same way we would use nukes.”  
  
“This new commander may not be deliberately targeting civilians but these are weapons of mass destruction, we can't let him get close enough to use them.” Denisov resolved. “We're going to draw a line in space between Earth and lunar orbit and make sure nothing passes it. We have to hold on until reinforcements arrive, it's that simple.”  
  
“No clever tactics or tactical subtlety, we just dig our heels in and throw everything we have at them.” Lefcourt picked up. “The Minbari have left us very few options.”  
  
“Very well Generals, I won't keep you from your duties any longer.” The President acknowledged. “Do what needs to be done.”  
  
  
  
Somewhere in Hyperspace.  
  
  
  
“Long range scouts have confirmed the human fleets are massing.” Neroon stood in the cascading red light of hyperspace, the projectors in the command deck surrounding him with the spectacular display. It still sometimes caught him by surprise, the raw magnificence of hyperspace, its cruelty and open violence just a few miles away from the safe path they travelled. Not that he ever showed it of course.  
  
“They've predicted our course of action.” Branmer mused. “Not unexpected but it is going to make this task harder.”  
  
“We can expect heavy resistance Shai Alyt, the local forces are forming a barrier over their homeworld.”  
  
“Understandable, but they can't concentrate enough forces to stop us.”  
  
“Not with the ships in the system, but we know the main human fleets are heading for Earth at full speed.”  
  
“The weakened fleets, less than a third strength.” Branmer corrected. “It won't be enough. We've successfully removed their numerical advantage and by forcing a battle at Earth they have to respond to us. We are dictating this battle, this is our fight to win.”  
  
“Do we take on the fleets then Shai Alyt?”  
  
“Only in service of our main objective. Our goal is the human industrial sites, once they are destroyed we withdraw. Preservation of the fleet is paramount.”  
  
“Perhaps we should bypass them then? Jump directly into Earth orbit?”  
  
“That would leave us sandwiched between the planetary defences and the guard fleets. I'd prefer not to have to fight on two fronts, at least not immediately.” Branmer shook his head. “No, we'll jump out by their moon, break through their line, then engage the planet itself.”  
  
  
He watched the currents of hyperspace for a while lost in some thought or another before speaking again.  
  
“How are the new ships?”  
  
“The ships are fine.” Neroon replied. “A little roughly finished but the ships were never the question. The crews on the other hand...”  
  
“Retrained Warriors. I can imagine that wasn't popular.”  
  
“Once it would have been unthinkable, but they are surprisingly supportive of their new task.” Neroon related with a small glimmer of approval. “They understand what is asked of them and what Minbar requires. Every man and woman in this fleet is dedicated to their new duty and harbours no resentment, even the few Windswords have come to the realisation that there are more important things than tradition. Like survival.”  
  
“And I assume you had no small role in correcting that misconception?”  
  
“I may have made a speech or two.” Neroon smiled briefly. “I'm told I can be quite motivating.”  
  
Branmer barked a laugh. “I don't doubt it!”  
  
“They have finally accepted how dangerous our position is and that this is the new reality. Things won't go back to normal when the war ends, there is no normal.”  
  
“It will take decades to recover and if Valen was right it is time we do not have.”  
  
“I do not give much credence to prophecy, but we do face very real threats and we must adopt a new way of war to meet them.”  
  
  
“You do me proud Neroon.” Branmer said from nowhere.  
  
“And you honour me Shai Alyt.”  
  
“No more than you deserve. Away from the influence of the so called elders you are developing into a fine leader, a clear thinker. That's good enough for me but the Warriors need more. They will follow you today, they will respect you, but in the times ahead they must do more than respect you. They must die for you.”  
  
“It is a warriors duty.”  
  
“Hell is waiting for us Neroon, and I'm not talking about Earth. Real, actual hell populated by nightmares and horrors we can only guess at. We will be sending our people to fight and die in that hell and duty alone is not enough to make them stand firm against such terror. They need more.”  
  
He turned from the maelstrom to look directly at Neroon, the black robed warrior standing a little straighter under the gaze.  
  
“You have served me well as my second Neroon, but it’s time you left my shadow. I am assigning you a fleet command, you will lead the newly arrived Warrior caste ships.”  
  
“With respect...”  
  
“They need a good leader, someone who can lead them properly, who knows how to fight. That is you Neroon, you are the only one I trust to do it.” Branmer headed off any argument. “And you need to prove your talents, to stand alone and show you are not just a follower but a leader. I know you are quite able to do this.”  
  
  
“If that is your will Shai Alyt.”  
  
“It is.” Branmer nodded. “Those ships are green but powerful, top of the line warcruisers. You will assist me in breaking through the Human line, then you will establish a defensive position while I take my forces to attack Earth directly.”  
  
“You don't need my help with the defence grid?”  
  
“The humans have reinforcements on the way, I need you to stop them dead.” Branmer explained. “Hold off the reinforcements until I can finish the mission, then we withdraw together.”  
  
“Understood Shai Alyt.” Neroon nodded, understanding the wisdom in the order.  
  
“Be aware Neroon that the human reinforcements are commanded by their best leaders and contain their best ships and crews. You will have to stand alone against men who have defeated every Minbari fleet that has faced them.”  
  
“I will make sure you have the time you need Shai Alyt.”  
  
“I do not doubt it.” Branmer nodded. “You are the future Neroon, and that is a deeply reassuring thought. Now go, report to your command.”  
  
“Yes Shai Alyt, and thank you.”  
  
“Don't thank me yet, I just gave you an impossible task.”  
  
“Difficult yes, impossible...” Neroon grinned. “We will see.”  
  
“Then we have much work to do. Contact me when all is ready, we have little time to spare.”  
  
  
  
  
Somewhere in Narn Space  
  
  
  
G'Kar paced the room with the acute awareness of a man on a strict timetable glancing periodically at the clock on the wall counting through the forty hours that made up a day on this blasted barely habitable lump of rock. It wasn't even a colony, it barely qualified as an outpost, in fact moon was pushing it. Gravity here was ten percent that of Narn and he was already unhappy about it, these were not suitable conditions to conduct extensive negotiations.  
  
On the other hand this poor little sliver of Narn territory did have one advantage, a massive wall of warships floating overhead. It was a staging area for the Narn Regime's Blue Fleet, one of their main combat forces equipped with a wide range of powerful units including several of the brand new G'Quan class cruisers. In addition the outpost itself was heavily defended for its size with ground based guns and satellites to protect the fuel and munitions stored here.  
  
It was the most secure site G'Kar could think of, it was in Narn space and isolated enough so he could control any access, but it was also massively well defended in case anyone tried to interfere in the coming meeting. After what had happened last time he was taking no chances.  
  
  
The first arrivals were a Dilgar flotilla and a Drazi squadron, still a sight which gave him a brief upswell of pride. Warmaster Dar'sen and Warleader Stro'kath had forged a curious working relationship built on honour and respect for each other as warriors and G'Kar understood that, but it hadn't stopped him portraying himself as the man who got the Drazi and Dilgar to sit at a table together and talk. The amount of political capital he was making from recent events was staggering, and if all went well it was going to soar.  
  
The second group of ships was even more remarkable, a battered Minbari warcruiser and a few green and bronze coloured patrol ships flying escort. The warcruiser had obviously seen better days and had chunks torn out of it but it was still an intimidating and powerful weapon of war.  
  
This was why G'Kar was on edge, the last time he had arranged a meeting with the Minbari he had nearly ended up dead and a senior member of Minbari society had expired on his watch. Frankly given the sort of grudges Minbari could hold he was amazed to still be breathing. Yet here he was walking into that same lions den again.  
  
Though this time he was of course very prepared.  
  
  
The three groups of ships fell into orbit and launched their respective shuttles, all very cautious and closely monitored by the Narn fleet above. They were cleared through under guard, each delegation bringing plenty of their own security be it Imperial Guards, Chosen Warriors or Anla'shok. The timing was carefully arranged so all three arrived at the meeting room simultaneously, only two people per faction were allowed in with the room sealed and guarded upon their entry. G'Kar was content to stay there alone as a sign of trust and confidence, as of course was Stro'kath, the old soldier utterly disdaining the idea that he needed an escort.  
  
Dar'sen brought his aide with him, a young officer who stood back and said nothing. Of more interest to all in the room were the two Minbari, the real reason this meeting was happening. Both wore the mottled brown robes of the Rangers, similar to that Lenonn had worn to the original fateful meeting. The lead Minbari was old, though not so old as Lenonn had been, and his escort stood with the broad presence of a seasoned warrior.  
  
“Sech Turval is it?” G'Kar opened proceedings. “I'm glad you agreed to come after what happened to your predecessor.”  
  
“It is necessary.” Turval said simply. “Lenonn believed in peace and so do I, so do many and I speak for them. Lenonn would wish for our voices to still be heard.”  
  
  
“You have courage following the path of a man who died doing the same thing.” Stro'kath gave a curt nod of approval. “Who did that anyway?”  
  
“We don't know, but we hope to find out.” Turval replied simply. “Representative G'Kar has assured us security here is air tight.”  
  
“Unquestionably.” G'Kar enthused. “There are hundreds of Narn ships shielding us, nothing can break through.”  
  
“Assuming those ships are loyal?” Stro'kath suggested. “How do you know it wasn't one of your rivals G'Kar trying to kill you? Word is you have a lot of enemies.”  
  
“True and true, but the Blue fleet is commanded by G'Sten, my uncle and a father to me since the death of my blood father. He would not permit such treachery.”  
  
“That's enough for me.” Dar'sen nodded.  
  
“And in the event of assassins or the like, Sech Durhan will defend us.” Turval informed.  
  
“Durhan, I know the name.” Dar'sen regarded the warrior. “They say you are the finest duellist in the galaxy.”  
  
“I don't know who 'they' are, but I have yet to be defeated in single combat.” Durhan nodded. “Take that as you will.”  
  
“Well now that introductions are over why don't we get down to business? We all know this war cannot go on for much longer, one way or another it needs to end.”  
  
  
“It will end.” Stro'kath declared confidently. “We have raised a second fleet to assist Earth and I will lead them personally into battle.”  
  
“Wasn't your last fleet lost without trace?” G'Kar asked.  
  
“Destroyed in an ambush in hyperspace.” Stro'kath sneered. “A crime no Drazi will ever forget.”  
  
“We heard about the loss of your ships, it was not a Minbari fleet.” Turval said frankly. “But if you assist Earth my comrades will engage you.”  
  
“So be it.” Stro'kath accepted. “We were willing to fight beside Earth when everything was against us and victory was impossible. Today we can fight back, and that should make your comrades afraid.”  
  
“He isn't the only one.” Dar'sen added. “The Warcouncil is deploying a Strike Fleet to Earth space as part of a joint deployment with the Drazi.”  
  
“Dilgar and Drazi fighting side by side.” Stro'kath grinned. “A powerful message wouldn't you say?”  
  
“Powerful and practical, between my capital ships and you fast attack squadrons we are a flexible and dangerous force.” Dar'sen agreed. “Old enemies united in common cause.”  
  
“And not just you.” G'Kar suddenly spoke up. “The Narn will also send a fleet to help Earth!”  
  
That raised some interest, not least with G'Kar himself. The Kha'ri of course had decreed no such thing but he was damned if he was going to let this moment slip. Dropping the Regime into the middle of a war wasn't exactly within his authority no matter how much influence he had, but he wasn't about to let the Narn sit on the sidelines while others reaped all the gratitude and post war favours.  
  
“Impressive.” Dar'sen allowed. “Narn, Drazi and Dilgar united with the humans. With all of us arrayed against you the Minbari must know they can't win.”  
  
  
“Even before this the Grey Council knew a true victory was impossible.” Turval allowed. “Accepting it however is another matter. Many would die before giving up their pride, indeed many have.”  
  
“What about those who want peace?” Dar'sen asked.  
  
“They are gaining more influence, an honourable peace is spoken of openly.” Turval related. “But to do so means we must change our minds, abandon our goal of destroying humanity. I and many others wish this, it was a grave mistake born of grief and anger, something which would destroy the heart of our people as surely as it would have destroyed humanity.”  
  
“It's beyond your reach anyway now.” Stro'kath shrugged. “I like a good fight, but it's not always the best option. I'm standing here with a Narn and a Dilgar and neither of them are spitting out teeth. How many people would believe that?”  
  
“I'm still having a hard time working it out.” Dar'sen grinned.  
  
“It proves anyone can make peace if there is a good enough reason.” Stro'kath spoke with passion. “There is no shame in an equal peace, an agreement between people of honour. Whatever your warriors may think I know the humans have honour, I have seen it, I have seen them fight and die for my world, a world most humans will never visit and few really even think about. What they did was more than most of our League allies did, and for that reason, that debt of honour, I send my bravest to fight and die for Earth. I am Warleader, those lives are the most precious resource my nation has, yet I have no hesitation in sending them to fight this war and earn glory in battle or in death. That is what it means to us.”  
  
“I stand with my colleague.” Dar'sen nodded. “There is no shame in reaching agreement with the humans, it saved my people and we are ready to help save Earth.”  
  
  
“This is not something we dispute.” Turval offered agreement. “If this war increases in scale it will drive home how serious our situation is, and your reasons for fighting are powerful arguments. But right now no one will listen, not while there is still hope of victory.”  
  
“You mean Branmer.” Dar'sen reasoned.  
  
“You must know by now he means to attack Earth itself?” Turval checked. “He will target military targets and industry.”  
  
“None of our fleets can reach Earth in time.” The Supreme Warmaster informed. “It's up to the humans alone to stop Branmer, but whatever the outcome the arrival of our forces will tip the balance firmly against you.”  
  
“I know and I will take this information back. But you must understand that this represents a fundamental change in the way the Council works, and they do not easily accept that.”  
  
“Their inflexibility has cost a lot of lives.” Stro'kath growled. “Human and Minbari alike.”  
  
“And it will no doubt cost more.” Turval exhaled. “But we will find a way. A member of the Grey Council is prepared to attend negotiations with Earth if the humans are still open to talks.”  
  
“They were when I left Earth, but they might not be if the battle goes badly for them.” G'Kar informed. “This attack on their home may, I believe the term is 'piss them off' or something similar.”  
  
  
“Then we must hope for reason on both sides.” Turval voiced. “But even with talks we must find a way for the Council to end the war and reverse its decision without appearing to admit they were wrong. Some new information that cannot be ignored, something that lets us stand down without losing face.”  
  
“Is an equal peace not enough?” Stro'kath frowned. “Will your people not accept Earth has honour?”  
  
“They want to I think, but it is difficult. If the war were so easy to stop we would have done so by now. We are trying but there is a thousand years of inertia to overcome, more even.”  
  
“Ultimately everything we're discussing is going to hinge on what happens at Earth.” Dar'sen concluded. “If Branmer succeeds Earth will be in no position to strike back and you can negotiate a peace through us. If Branmer fails and loses his fleet Earth can rebuild faster than you can. In six months they'll have a thousand brand new ships and be at Minbar.”  
  
“Whatever happens it'll start in a few hours.” G'Kar observed quietly. “Perhaps we should meet again afterwards?”  
  
They agreed and split up leaving G'Kar to make the video call of his life to the Kha'ri.  
  
  
  
Earth Station 4  
  
  
 _  
Death closes all; but something ere the end,  
  
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,  
  
Not unbecoming men that strove with gods._  
  
  
  
“Still reading that old book?”  
  
Jeffrey Sinclair glanced up from the elderly tome and its yellow pages with a look of feigned annoyance.  
  
“Well I could kill braincells watching the Disney network like you do...”  
  
“One time!” Mitchell defended. “One time that happened and I still haven't lived it down!”  
  
“I'm sure Princess Poppet is perfectly good material for my Squadron XO to take lessons from.”  
  
“Well to be fair I did pick up a really good recipe for cookie sprinkles and fairy cakes, but that's a completely different argument.”  
  
Sinclair laughed gently, setting the book aside.  
  
“How's the squadron doing?”  
  
“Twirling their thumbs and waiting to get back into the fight.” Mitchell answered with a shrug. “We had a month of leave, it's appreciated but it's time we were back in the action especially with things the way they are.”  
  
“Nemesis should be ready to go in the next two days or so, when she ships out so do we.”  
  
“You think they'll finally order us into the counter attack?” Mitchell wondered. “I mean we're ready to take the war to them now right? We can end this.”  
  
“Maybe.” Sinclair allowed. “We'll see what Brass says.”  
  
“As usual.” Mitchell exhaled. “So, you going to go see her?”  
  
  
Sinclair didn't have to ask who 'she' referred to. Mitchell was a good friend, they'd trained together and ended up serving together when Sinclair transferred to the front lines. Even so there were still some things he kept private.  
  
“Maybe.”  
  
“So that's a yes then?” Mitchell raised an eyebrow. “Come on! Just get over there, this calm cool act isn't fooling anyone.”  
  
“I didn't think I was that obvious.”  
  
“If you flew like you dated a guy with a mop could take you out. Just go, I'll handle things for a while.”  
  
“I dunno...”  
  
“Jeff, go.”  
  
He accepted defeat with a graceful nod, stood up and headed for the door.  
  
“Ready room two.” Mitchell informed. “But I bet you already knew that right?”  
  
Of course he did, he knew exactly when she was landing and where she was staying.  
  
“Smartass.” He grinned back and set off down the corridor.  
  
  
The space station wasn't huge and was built around the familiar ring design Earth had come to favour, this particular example having being built not long after First Contact to guard Earth orbit. It was a bit outdated but still served its main function as a refuelling base for warships and a staging platform for fighters and personnel transports. A lot of people passed through every day but Sinclair had someone specific in mind.  
  
He tapped on the door to the ready room and entered to find a trio of pilots draped over the worn chairs discussing something. They were young and confident, the image of fighter pilots a galaxy over, the three of them glancing over as he entered.  
  
“How about we pick this up later.” The nearest pilot stood. “”Hanji and I need to be somewhere else.”  
  
“We do... oh, right, yeah. Somewhere else.”  
  
The two departing pilots gave Sinclair a nod, clearly recognising him, and left the celebrated officer alone with their last squad mate.  
  
“Hey Jeff.” Catherine Sakai offered. “You're here too huh?”  
  
“Heading out in a day or two, you?”  
  
“Garrison duty on Proxima, then down to the Koulani border. Been some rumblings.”  
  
“My Brother is deployed down there guarding the frontier.”  
  
“I'll tell him hi.”  
  
  
They stood awkwardly for a long moment, each wanting to say something but not sure if it was a smart thing to do.  
  
“You're looking good.” Sinclair managed after a while. “Healthy.”  
  
“Healthy? Three years and you're complimenting my diet?”  
  
“I...well, it's been three years?”  
  
“Three years and a war. Puts a lot of water under the bridge.” She observed trying not to meet his gaze.  
  
“How's your Aunt?”  
  
“She's good, still working for the firm. You should see her kids, they can already pilot a ship. Quick studies.”  
  
“Must be in the blood.”  
  
“So we're done with the small talk then? Because I need to pack my gear.”  
  
“I wanted to make sure you were alright.” Sinclair admitted. “With the war... a lot of people didn't come back.”  
  
“Yeah.” She exhaled. “Yeah, I know. We saw some action, lost a man. Could have been worse.”  
  
“Heard you made a kill.”  
  
“Three actually at Jericho.” She corrected. “Caught them napping.”  
  
  
She finally looked up and met his gaze.  
  
“I was worried too. I know you think you're the best man to ever ride a jet but you aren't invincible.”  
  
“I know, there's always somebody out there better or luckier.”  
  
“Maybe it'll be over soon, people are talking about a counter attack, that we have them against a wall.”  
  
“We held Durani but it wasn't pretty. This is when they are most dangerous, when they're backed into a corner.”  
  
“If we hit one of their worlds its going to be hell isn't it?” She asked.  
  
“They're just about as stubborn as we are. They'll fight to the death. Best you're away from that.”  
  
“Is that you're way of saying I'm not good enough?” She raised a fierce eyebrow. “You know we Sakai folks have been flying fighters just as long as the Sinclair dynasty.”  
  
“I don't want to lose you. There, I said it. Happy?”  
  
“Why are you always so damn defensive?”  
  
“Because this is not easy, I never know what to do around you.” Sinclair grunted.  
  
“I dunno, you seemed to know exactly what you were doing in the past.” She shrugged. “Until you left and we both ended up on opposite sides of the universe.”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“And like we're about to do again. Koulani on one side, Minbari on another. Both dangerous missions.”  
  
“I know.”  
  
She huffed loudly.  
  
“I have terrible impulse control, I know a quiet place.”  
  
“I thought you'd never ask.”  
  
“We're both very, very dumb.” She exhaled. “But what the hell, might be our last chance.”  
  
  
  
*  
  
  
A few hours later Sinclair emerged from a secluded munitions room, Catherine not far behind adjusting her flight suit.  
  
“We keep getting into these situations.” She exhaled. “So that's it for another three years?”  
  
“No, not this time, this time it's different.” He promised.  
  
“You always say that, but we just fall into this same pattern.”  
  
“Then lets change it. This time lets...”  
  
He was interrupted by a general alarm going off, the universal order to report to combat stations.  
  
“What the hell is that for?” Catherine frowned heavily. “We're over Earth.”  
  
“I don't know but we better find out.” Sinclair fixed Catherine with a strong glance. “We'll talk later.”  
  
“Sure we will.” She forced herself to believe it. “We'll fix it.”  
  
  
It took a little while for Sinclair to organise his mind and set aside the personal turmoil bombarding him. His relationship with Catherine Sakai was chaotic which wasn't helped by them meeting at incredibly inopportune moments. He prided himself on being calm to the point of Zen especially in stressful situations but all that evaporated when he got within ten feet of Catherine. They were wrong for each other, they clashed more than they agreed, but honestly he didn't care. They had a spark, a rare passion, and that was enough to overcome anything else.  
  
  
“Mitchell.” He made it to the Squadron ready room. “What happened?”  
  
“I don't know, we just heard the alarm.” He reported, the rest of the unit filtering in and gathering together to speculate. There were two squadrons gathered here, his own Ghost Riders and the Jolly Rogers who shared their assignment to the Nemesis. He was about to talk to the other squadron leader when the broad mass of Joe Tennant thundered into the room. Instantly the pilots found their seats, a briefing from their commanding officer a rare and usually ominous sign.  
  
“At ease people.” Tennant began notably skipping his usual humorous opening quip. “The alarm is no drill, we're on alert and expect to be in action within the next few hours.”  
  
The room was deathly silent.  
  
  
“We have reports of a Minbari fleet heading this way, straight for Earth. We've been ordered to stop them, and we damn well will. Expect heavy enemy forces under competent leadership, this will not be a cake walk.”  
  
He paused for a second to let his next words hit hard.  
  
“This is going to be the hardest fight of the war. They're coming for Earth and they caught us out of place and out of time. No jokes, no tall tales, it doesn't get any more serious than this. The President is ordering everything that can fly to form a line in orbit and hold the Minbari until reinforcements arrive no matter the cost.”  
  
He gritted his teeth.  
  
“And the cost will be high, I don't know if we'll all be here to brag about our victory this time tomorrow. Hundreds of millions, perhaps billions of lives rest on our shoulders and if we lose not only do they die but we lose this war. We all know people, too many people, who sacrificed everything to stop the Minbari and I will not let that sacrifice be in vain. Make your peace, contact the people you need to contact, then suit up by sixteen hundred hours.”  
  
  
That was it. He turned and headed for the door pausing only to call over his shoulder.  
  
“Commander Sinclair, with me please.”  
  
Sinclair did as instructed, slapping Mitchell on the shoulder.  
  
“I'll get them ready.” His wingman promised. “See you on the deck.”  
  
Sinclair sprinted briefly to catch up to the Maori officer and fall into a brisk step beside him.  
  
“How are your people?” Tennant checked. “Ready for a fight?”  
  
“Yes sir, it’s a surprise but they know what to do. They're the best pilots in the galaxy, no one is getting past us.”  
  
“Glad to hear it Commander, our task force is the most experienced unit in the area until Hamato can get his arse back here. We'll be the centre piece of the mobile defence.”  
  
“Do you know what happened sir?”  
  
“The Minbari outmanoeuvred us, simple as that.” Tennant answered. “Hamato and Ferguson are on their way but the Minbari will be here first in strength. Hundreds of ships, likely over a thousand, under the command of their new whizz.”  
  
“Branmer.”  
  
“You know the name? Good, because I'm going to be feeding that bony bastard to the Lady Nemesis.” Tennant snarled. “This is going to be hell Commander, don't imagine otherwise. The Minbari have learned from and adapted to us and now they are ramming those lessons back down our throats.” He grunted. “Well not today.”  
  
  
They took themselves down a flight of stairs and across into the nearest cobra bay, home to half a dozen squadrons arrayed on the outer curve of the rotating station including the Ghost Riders. It was swarming with deck crews and buzzed to the sound of voices, tools and fuelcells undergoing recharge. Waiting for them were two concerned officers in EA blues who broke off their conversation and saluted Tennant as he arrived.  
  
“Captain Black, Captain Hague.” Tennant greeted them. “Alright, you three are my senior staff on this. Captain Black commands Task Force Ninety One with five Rail gun armed Novas, Captain Hague commands our ten cruisers and Commander Sinclair is senior pilot. Now we've got ten Dreadnoughts, ten Cruisers and three hundred fighters to play with which is pretty damn good, General Lefcourt has also promised us some frigate and corvette escorts from the Mars flotilla some time in the next hour.”  
  
“How many Admiral?” Black asked.  
  
“We'll find out when they arrive, the call is going out for every ship with a weapon to take up position between Earth and Luna and get ready for contact. Armed freighters, Belt Alliance, reservists, hell they even emptied the fleet museum.”  
  
“Is it that serious?” Hague frowned.  
  
“Worse.” Tennant answered honestly. “This is without a doubt the most desperate situation we've ever been in. They caught us with our pants down and we need to pull it together and create a working plan. I've been put in command of our mobile reserve, our job will be to plug breaches in the defence and reinforce weakened areas. If necessary we will counter attack any break through and hold a line over Earth.”  
  
“Which makes us the last line of defence.” Sinclair reasoned.  
  
“If all else fails, yes.”  
  
  
The officers took a moment to come to terms with this requirement, this simple yet crushing responsibility.  
  
“Do we have enough forces?” Hague asked.  
  
“We've pulled in the entire Proxima, Io and Mars defence fleets plus the Earth and Sol Garrison. It's a lot of ships but most are outdated and better used for patrols.” Tennant relayed. “Our best front line warships were on the border, we only have a limited number of Dreadnoughts and cruisers.”  
  
“Of which we are the best trained.” Black guessed.  
  
“Which is why we hold the critical mission.” Tennant confirmed. “In a situation like this static defence won't help us, we need to be aggressive. Sinclair, I want you to prioritise enemy capital ships, Hague likewise.”  
  
“Yes sir.” Both officers agreed.  
  
“We'll try and stay together, keep the fleet intact as a single hammer to beat the Minbari to death with, but we should expect to take losses.”  
  
“And the other forces?”  
  
“Generals Lefcourt and Denisov will be coordinating the main line of defence. They'll do all they can to tie down and slow the Minbari. The goal isn't to defeat them, it's to delay them. Hell we probably can't kill them alone anyway, we just need to stop their advance.”  
  
  
“This isn't going to be pretty is it?” Black asked sombrely.  
  
“No. No it isn't.” Tennant said honestly. “But this is what we're here for, this is the moment all of us wondered about, asked if it would ever come, the moment where we have to look death in the face.”  
  
He was right. Each of them had seen battle but in every fight there had been a fair chance of survival. Even against the Dilgar they could take faith in their skills, their fighting prowess and tactical acumen and reasonably expect to still be alive the next day. But this was different, they were out of place, outgunned and facing a truly dangerous adversary.  
  
“I don't expect you not to be afraid, I'm damn well terrified.” Tennant grinned with honesty. “But we have to set an example to our officers and crew, we don't have the luxury of despair. We have to lead and they have to follow us even into certain death. I know each of you has the skill and the courage to be the first into this battle, to set the example. Never have we needed that before and never did I expect to ask you to do it. But here we are.”  
  
He stood straight, projecting confidence and pride.  
  
“Earth needs us, so we're doing this. Do what you need to do in order to meet this challenge head on. Decide how you're going to face death,. Me, I plan to make bad jokes and show him the middle finger.”  
  
His officers broke nervous smiles.  
  
“We are the best. We are the finest force in the Alliance and our world is expecting us to deliver on that confidence. I know we will never let them down. Much rests on our shoulders, but we have the strength to carry the whole planet on our backs. Sinclair, come with me, Helena, Bill, report to your commands. I'll see you out there.”  
  
The two Captains saluted crisply, Tennant responding in kind.  
  
“Let's see how ashamed the Minbari are when they get their arses kicked by a man in a skirt.”  
  
  
  
*  
  
  
“How long do we have?”  
  
“Not long now Madame President. The Minbari have passed Io, they could be here any minute.”  
  
“Our forces?”  
  
“Ships are still coming in but General Denisov believes we have every trained crew in the region. Earth Force and Belt Alliance ships form the main line of defence.”  
  
“And the civilians?”  
  
“They are in position between the naval forces and the defence grid. If we're lucky the military will hold the Minbari back and the civilians won't need to engage.”  
  
“And if we're realistic?”  
  
She didn't need to hear the answer.  
  
“Thank you. By now everyone knows what is happening but I should still say something. They should hear it from me.”  
  
“Madame President...”  
  
“If I'm the President that led Earth to ruin then I should at least take responsibility for it. Leave the camera with me, get down to the bunker. I'll stay here.”  
  
“I strongly advise...”  
  
“That will be all Mike.”  
  
“The Minbari will almost certainly strike our centre of government and...”  
  
“Mike, thank you for your loyalty. The Vice President is on Mars by now, I'll be fine.”  
  
The aide reluctantly left the room and the President by herself. As another President had once believed the buck stopped right here and Elizabeth Levy was ready to face her responsibility. If they won she'd celebrate with the rest of the planet. If they lost she would be among the first to die. Her fate like the fate of so many others now rested with the distant thin grey line in the sky above.  
  
  
  
Sinclair took a calming breath as he zeroed in on Catherine, the petite woman tightening her gloves and checking the seals on her flightsuit.  
  
“Catherine...”  
  
“Whatever you're going to say it can wait.” She cut him off. “Don't turn this into one of those soppy goodbyes you get in films. This isn't the first mission into almost certain death we've flown.”  
  
He couldn't stop a smile, he kept forgetting Sakai wasn't some helpless damsel in distress, she could kick ass with the best of them.  
  
“Alright, we'll stick to business then. Your squadron will be flying a strike mission, mine will be providing escort for you.”  
  
“So you'll be watching my back? That actually makes me feel pretty good.”  
  
“We'll keep the Minbari off your case, that's a promise.”  
  
“I trust you.” She nodded. “But we're ready to see the mission through no matter the cost.”  
  
She nodded over to where her squadron was gathering, several of them were tying on woven belts under their suits.  
  
“The whole squadron is either Japanese or descended from Japanese ancestors. I told you about Saburo Sakai?”  
  
“Many times.”  
  
“Some traditions die hard.” She related. “We know what this battle is about, what is expected of us.”  
  
“I don't want to see you bringing back the Kamikaze...”  
  
“We both know if it comes down to it that's exactly what we'll do. You and me both.”  
  
She was right, Sinclair would have no hesitation ramming a Minbari ship if it would make a difference.  
  
“Let's hope it doesn't come to it.”  
  
  
The lights In the room turned red accompanied by five sharp blasts on the alarm system.  
  
“Time to go.” Sinclair exhaled. “I'll never be more than a hundred metres from you.”  
  
“Worry about the mission, not about me.”  
  
“Escorting you is my mission, you'll be running with nukes.”  
  
“You know what I mean.”  
  
“I know.”  
  
“Look, if something does happen...”  
  
“It won't.”  
  
“If it does.” She pressed. “I cut a lock of hair and put it with my things. Its tradition, so that there'll be at least something to bury.”  
  
“Catherine...”  
  
“Just make sure Jen gets it, okay?”  
  
“Okay, I promise.”  
  
“Thank you.” She smiled sombrely. “I'm still scared but this helps, and you being here helps too. Whatever happens Jeff, just try and find me. Don't let me be alone out there.”  
  
“I'll stay close.”  
  
“I don't mind dying for Earth, but I don't want to be alone when it happens.”  
  
“It won't come to it, I promise you.”  
  
“I guess we're going to find out.”  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
 _Citizens of the Alliance. By now many of you have heard the rumours that a Minbari fleet is approaching Earth. I must tell you these rumours are true. Right now the men and women of Earth Force are gathering our strength to meet and destroy this threat, but our enemy is strong and their fleets are led by a dangerous and skilled Warrior._  
  
  
Branmer whispered the same words he had all his life, a quiet prayer to Valen for the strength and courage to face the task ahead. Around him his senior staff kept their heads bowed and fingers steepled as he led their prayers too feeling their apprehension, their concern. They were not warriors, this was not the life they had chosen or wanted, yet not one had flinched or folded.  
  
“And Valen said will you follow me into fire, into darkness, into death?”  
  
“I will.” His officers replied solemnly.  
  
“Then follow.”  
  
  
 _I therefore make this plea to anyone who has a ship capable of fighting to join us. I ask you, I beg you, to lend your strength to the might we are gathering to defend Earth, our home and our origin, from a Minbari attack. As we speak the full strength of the Alliance is coming to crush this attack but while we have the steel and the fire to win this battle we do not have the time. The Minbari will arrive first._  
  
  
Between Earth and Luna thousands of men and women waited on massive warships, grimy escorts, nimble fighters and cobbled together shuttles. From the precise formations of the naval vessels down to the unorganised mass of armed freighters the Line was drawn.  
  
They knew what was coming, the terror of a full scale Mibari assault could chill even the finest veterans and heroes but no one backed out or tried to hide. The Line was drawn.  
  
  
 _We must ensure that when our reinforcements arrive they see the blue Earth waiting for them, not a burning world ringed by Minbari warships. We must stand firm and unshakeable in the face of our enemies, we must keep them from our doorstep until help arrives. We must do all that we can, sacrifice all we must, to preserve our home until the fleets come to save us._  
  
  
Deep in hyperspace the Agamemnon pushed its engines as hard as she could, the system already far in the red and complaining. Sheridan sat in the centre of the bridge with his hand gripping the rests, his eyes crushed under a scowl. On the main display were two count downs, one for the Minbari arrival and one for their own. The difference was only a few minutes but in that time the entire planet could change forever.  
  
Around him followed the rest of the fleet and against his own good judgement was Deathwalkers battleship. Nobody liked it but Hamato could not refuse the help of such a powerful vessel in this time of utmost need.  
  
He watched the clock, the diminishing numbers framing his entire existence.  
  
  
  
 _This will be our decisive battle, a turning point for all of us. Never before had humanity faced such a threat, never have we stood so close to the abyss. We must not fall, we must not allow ourselves to be pushed into destruction. This battle is not just for us but for our children and their children, it is for our parents and our ancestors back to the beginning. This day, this hour, we must earn our right to exist and to go on as a species._  
  
  
Sinclair gave the thumbs up to the deck hand, the suited man scurrying away as the boarding gangway retracted and with a jolt the Fury was lowered through the inner airlock doors to the cobra bay. He made his final checks, the Starfury humming eagerly as power built in its frame. Both pilot and aircraft were straining like hunting dog on the leash, the elixir of battle fighting against the terror and apprehension in his heart.  
  
Everything was in order, his squadron checked in, his systems were synched up to command and control. They were ready, do or die.  
  
  
  
 _I ask you then here and now to gather with the ships above Earth, to draw a line in the sky and let no one who means us harm pass. I will not lie to you, the odds are against us and we believe that many who join this battle will never return, but if we do not fight, if we do not stand on this line, then we lose everything._  
  
  
The Starfury fell like a stone through the opening doors, the rush of motion and exhiliration of the engines kicking in still an incredible rush. He swung the fighter up and around the station skimming its hull, engines pulsing bright blue flame, the entire scene lit by the reflected light of Earth sitting pristine and glorious beside him. If there was ever any doubt in his mission, ever any lack of conviction the breathtaking sight of Earth banished it instantly.  
  
He swung around, taking a last look at the cradle of humanity over his shoulder before putting it behind him and moving toward the glittering mass of ships ahead. Beside him his squadron tucked into combat formation, each one an expert an an ace in their own right. They were the best, they were going to have to be.  
  
  
 _No President has ever made this plea to a people, no nation has ever faced such a threat of destruction, no one should ever have this choice to make, but we have no more time left. Every minute we hold the line brings victory closer and postpones the deaths of countless people. We must not flinch, we must not fail, for if we do then everything we have fought and sacrificed for has been for nothing._  
  
  
Catherine Sakai stood beside Yumi Hanji and downed the shot of Saki, her wingman then following suit. They raised their empty shot glasses before smashing them on the floor, an acknowledgement they would never return to drink from them again. The squadron stood in a line in the hangar and as one each tied on their headscarfs emblazoned with the rising sun and messages of hope and fortune from home. They gave their salute toward their distant home, recited their death poem, then scrambled to their Starfuries for what was almost certainly the last time to the strains and words of Sakura.  
  
  
 _Wherever you were born, wherever you live we are all children of our blue Earth and as sons and daughters of this world I ask you to fight. Fight for our home, fight for the billions of souls upon it, fight to your last breath and your last strength. Fight so that the human race may live, so that we will never be forgotten, so that the blood shed and tears wept were not in vain. Fight for yourselves, your families, for the long dead and the yet to be born. Fight now and take your stand before the coming darkness, defy the onrushing storm and show all who look this way the courage and the spirit of Earth and her children. Stand now, together, and fight for all you have ever known and all you have ever cared about._  
  
  
Closest to Earth the EAS Nemesis held station, its hull bearing the scars of a dozen major battles with pride, each impact a trophy and a warning. Many vessels had challenged the Nemesis and found themselves under her guns, and none had lived to tell the tale.  
  
Along with her equally gnarled taskforce they were the grim faced and hardened heart of Earth Force. Their ships were ugly and without grace, their technology primitive and inefficient. Yet time and again they had done the impossible, defeated the unbeatable, dragged victory from defeat. They were unlovely to look at but by all the gods they were terrifying to face in war.  
  
Behind the bristling guns the best officers and enlisted humanity had to offer made ready for battle, quiet but confident that they would not fail. Despite the situation none of them could resist a blood thirsty grin as the commnet blared out the most belligerent war haka yet from their Admiral and commander. From the heart of the Lady Nemesis embraced the carnage soon to unfold and dared his enemies to face him in the ancient tongue of his people, roaring and thumping his chest and arms with barely restrained fury filling all who heard it with the same desire for battle.  
  
They banished their fear and armed their weapons as the Line came together.  
  
  
  
  
 _Whatever fire and lightning the Minbari bring to our homes show them that we are not afraid and that they will not make us cower and hide. Show them that even with our hearts and bodies broken they cannot break our spirit. Fight this battle, hold this line, make this one great sacrifice and tomorrow know that the sun will rise over Earth, and that every man, woman and child who sees it will know what price was paid for that moment._  
  
  
Below the fleets the mass of humanity sought shelter where it could, underground, out of cities, far from any likely targets. Those that could not flee gave themselves instead to hope, they gathered those they held dear as the air raid sirens mourned and aerospace jets howled overhead leaving white cuts in the sky.  
  
In mountain ranges, open plains and the ocean missile silos popped open in readiness for the first time in decades. Long barrelled railguns raised themselves up like petrified silver trees and ancient ocean going warships prepared their missile batteries to intercept falling debris and warheads from orbit.  
  
  
 _This is our greatest challenge, our defining moment. This is where we nobly rise or meanly fall toward our fate. It is in our hands to decide the destiny of the human race, and I ask you to stand and to fight so that this moment will not be an end, but a beginning. One great battle to hold the line against the night so our children may see another dawn. The hope of the human race stands behind you and its ruin in front of you. Hold this line for each and every one of you represents our last, best hope for a future._


	15. Chapter 15

15

Earth

Battle of the Line

EAS Nemesis

“Early warning beacons are silent, probably destroyed.” Captain Anderson reported with all due foreboding. “Which means the Minbari are minutes away.”

“Good, I hate long waits.” Admiral Tennant returned blithely. “Everything switched on and angry?”

“All systems armed, all stations closed up for action, all escorts and fighters holding station awaiting orders.” Anderson confirmed. “Central Command has granted us freedom to engage at our discretion.”

“That's nice of them. When it kicks off move us toward the main body of the enemy. We won't engage unless the Line breaks but once it does I want to be waist deep in dead bodies within thirty seconds. And for the record, that would be dead Minbari bodies.”

“You think the Line will break sir?” Anderson felt suddenly concerned. “That's a lot of ships, it's got to take time to shoot them all down.”

“This fella Branmer is pretty sharp, one of the best in the business. I mean he got this far, you gotta respect that.”

“I suppose so sir.”

“This is exactly the sort of delicacy Lady Nemesis hungers for. She's not really that picky when it comes to victims but you know she has a special place in her heart for murdering famous people.”

“If you say so sir.”

“He's going to break through, he's too good to be stopped by a standard battle line. When he does he becomes our problem, and you know how we solve problems on this ship Captain.”

“With anger and violence?”

“I'm proud of you captain, it took this long but finally you get it.”

“Yes sir, I am thrilled.”

“Let's move the fleet, loose formation until we can predict an intercept.” Tennant ordered. “Steady as she goes Captain, we have a long day ahead.”

The Earth Force fleet was divided into three main groups arranged between Earth and the Moon facing outward. They knew roughly from which direction the Minbari were travelling from and deployed to meet them though there was always a chance it could be a bluff.

At the front was the main strength of the fleet under General Denisov. A powerful force built around the Mars and Proximan defence fleets that had been recalled for this operation and held a respectable number of Dreadnoughts and heavy cruisers in their ranks. Supporting them was the Sol garrison consisting of mainly older and lighter ships that would act to back up the heavier combatants. These were professional soldiers and while not as experienced or seasoned as the front line units they were confident and deadly, their carefully arrayed formations and steady ranks clear evidence of this.

The second element was built around civilian ships and this was the most numerous component of the defence, but also the least effective. The President had asked for any ship able to fight and this was where they reported, mostly armed shuttles, freighters and survey ships. Individually they were weak but in such vast numbers it was hoped they might do something to slow down the Minbari. Among them were the Belt Alliance, their dedicated convoy escorts and fighters better armed and more professional than the average private military company but still lacking compared to the navy. Dotted among them were a few warships that were rushed incomplete from shipyards and crewed by their dock workers and volunteers.

Behind the cloud of civilian ships was the reserve commanded by Tennant. Here were gathered the combat veterans who had been on leave or undergoing refit when the attack was detected alongside the bulk of Earth's fighter squadrons. They were the smallest of the three groups but arguably the most destructive with a solid core of battle hardened dreadnoughts and heavy cruisers backed by elite Starfury squadrons. In addition they had also gathered any veteran ships from among the local forces to support them in the final defence of Earth. If the front two forces were broken Tennant was the last real hope for holding back the Minbari until help arrived.

”Admiral, Tachyon spike on long range sensors.” Anderson offered up quickly. “Probable jump point.”

“Friendly?”

“Unlikely.”

“So much for a little optimism.” Tennant exhaled. “Alert all commands, we hold position until called upon.”

*

A pair of Minbari survey ships exited hyperspace at high speed and turned sharply, the weakly armed vessels keeping their distance from the waves of grey steel over Earth. They were not combat ships, rather their job was to sweep the region for traps, identify the Earth Force locations and allow the Minbari fleet to plot accurate jump coordinates.

Almost instantly the survey ships were scanned by a Starfury patrol, the heavy fighters vectoring in but far too slowly. Their task was over in less than a minute.

“Data confirmed, projecting human defensive locations.”

Branmer viewed the glowing icons hovering in thin air, different symbols for different units filling up as the survey ships did their job.

“No minefields.” He observed. “Plenty of ships and satellites though.”

“They never expected to be fighting on their doorstep.” Neroon's disembodied voice opined from his adjacent flagship. “We've lost the element of surprise Shai Alyt, the humans will have seen our scouts.”

“Surprise doesn't help us here, not against a defence in depth.” Branmer shook his head. “We'll have to do this the Warrior's way, face to face.”

“We stand ready.”

“Jump into these coordinates.” Branmer transmitted. “Earth's moon is heavily defended, we'll try and avoid it. Follow my lead Neroon and obey my orders precisely, even if they seem contradictory.”

“To the death Shai Alyt.”

“It may be.” Branmer said plainly, his eyes skimming the EA defences. “The Star Riders were the cavalry of ancient Minbar, swift and irresistible in the charge, unflinching when driving home an attack and piercing the static lines of our enemies. Today we revisit the old ways my friend. Form on my forces and prepare to charge.”

*

“Deploy fighter screens forward.” General Denisov ordered. “They wouldn't show their cards unless they were ready to begin. Expect contact any second.”

It had been a long while since the old Chairman of the Joint Chiefs had sat in the command chair of a Dreadnought yet it felt as if he belonged nowhere else. He oversaw the deployment with approval, fighter squadrons shifting on the glass screen projectors, his staff officers expertly offering reports and confirmations.

“Any idea where they'll jump sir?”

“Could be at range, could be right on top of us.”

As if in answer to his question the first wave of jump points began to tear open right then, the coruscating maws flickering as blue and purple marbled warships glided into the darkness of real space well ahead of the fleet.

“Confirm hostiles, hundred plus.”

“There will be more.” Denisov reasoned. “Range?”

“Hundred thousand klicks and closing fast.”

“Adjust position, redress the battle line and standby salvo fire.”

On his word the front line of the EA fleet pivoted to meet the incoming warships, the Dreadnoughts and cruisers burning thrusters briefly in jets of blue and red, their ranks of gun turrets silently rotating and elevating. Behind them the other components of the EA fleet held position and waited, for now only the warships of the front line would engage.

“Weapons online, target range and bearing locked.”

“Standby to engage.” Denisov ordered. “Watch for the second wave. Commence firing.”

The EA group made their initial ranging shots, several rounds from each vessel to calibrate their sensors and bring all systems into alignment. At maximum range most shots missed, those that hit causing negligible damage after diffusion.

“Enemy approaching optimum firing range, General, tachyon spikes!”

“Where?”

“Directly above!”

“I knew this was too easy.” Denisov grimaced, accepting the challenge. “Even numbered ships continue to engage, odd numbered ships roll ninety degrees and fire as targets appear.”

Denisov was an old soldier and no fool, his caution proving justified as a sea of jump points began boiling open above his formation. Hundreds of Minbari warships poured out in battle formation, rank after rank with weapons armed and rapidly locking on targets.

Earth force rose to meet the challenge, sharply adjusting formation in a display of precision manoeuvring few fleets could match on such a scale. The lumbering warships rolled and pivoted, massive cannons swinging to seek new targets as the second wave of Minbari entered the field at much closer range. The first few Minbari ships emerged into rapidly targeted gunfire, plasma shots smacking into their hulls in flashes of blue and orange. The Minbari responded in kind, engaging before they had fully left the bounds of hyperspace using targeting data transmitted by their sisters in the first wave.

“Hold course and speed.” Branmer intoned calmly, his voice and demeanour a reassuring rock of certainty to his still relatively green command staff. The human firepower heading his way had diminished considerably as Neroon made his entrance, the human commander splitting his fire to prevent his upper flank being annihilated.

“Shai Alyt, this is Neroon, all ships engaging.”

“So I see, resistance?”

“Expected. We have them in a crossfire, shall I order all units to hold and commence barrage?”

“No, proceed with the plan.” Branmer reminded. “We need to keep the initiative, if we slow down or stop we're finished. Don't be fooled by the human Admiral, he isn't going on the defensive, he's just conserving his strength for a counter attack.”

“As you order Shai Alyt.”

“This will take very careful timing, hold your nerve my student, it's time to demonstrate how Star Riders make war.”

Denisov's centre was caught in a vice, a terrible position with gunfire sweeping in from ahead and above converging on his battleline. In any naval engagement it would be seen as a clear cut disaster, outflanked, out manoeuvred and subjected to a punishing barrage. His forces had tightened their formation to protect each other, rays of light and balls of plasma lashing out from the battered fleet, the burning hulls of comrades mounting at the edges.

The Minbari were still advancing, closing the range and adding pressure, the green beams melting through even the heaviest armour like wax. The circumstances greatly favoured the enemy, but Denisov held his nerve, he didn't panic or order a retreat. After all, where was there to go?

As the world thundered about his head, as reports of lost ships and beleaguered crews were yelled across the command deck General Denisov simply smiled a cold Ukrainian grin.

“He's shown his hand.”

He observed the Minbari formations, appreciating the planning and control it represented, but focusing mainly on the numbers.

“That's every ship in his fleet, no reserves, he's fully committed. This is it, kill these ships and we kill Minbar.”

“Sir, we're taking heavy damage!”

“Not for long.” Denisov grunted. “He's hitting our central battleline, focusing all his strength here, our flanks are untouched.”

The display confirmed his assessment, the Minbari we're massed to deliver a heavy strike to the best of the EA ships but ignoring the cruisers and frigates on the edges of the force. Granted those ships were inferior to the Dreadnoughts but they could still pack a punch and we're perfectly positioned to respond.

“The Minbari want to set up a crossfire? We'll show them a crossfire. Flanking fleets, redeploy and converge. Draw them in and engage the Minbari with all deliberate force.”

“What about our reserves sir?”

“Not yet, hold them back, just in case this Branmer is smarter than I'm giving him credit for.”

Earth Force began its response, the mechanisms of command whirring into action. Whatever shock the Minbari assault had delivered was crushed beneath the grinding gears of mankind's well drilled war machine. Orders were given, engines engaged, formations flowing like liquid into new shapes before solidifying into attack formations.

The Dreadnought line was taking a beating, but that is what they were there for. They held fast, absorbed the Minbari attack, lost many of their number but did not break. The EA cruiser squadrons were slow to move compared to the Minbari but were inexorable, rising to surround the concentrated Minbari battle groups and return the Minbari strategy with interest.

Long range fire began to strike the Minbari flanks as the initial units entered range, with all Minbari ships accounted for there was no need to hold a line any more, they just needed to kill the threat as efficiently as possible.

“Ahh, very good.” Branmer nodded. “I knew the humans would not disappoint, they are counter attacking. Less than a minute to analyse, adapt and implement a counter. Let's see Sineval match that!”

“We're beginning to take fire on the flanks, estimate one minute until the human support fleets can engage us fully.” Neroon warned.

“This is why we can't fight them the old way, the humans expect a battle of annihilation, two forces massed for the struggle. They know it is how we fight, they see our formation and react in that expectation. We will therefore do no such thing.”

“Our course and speed is steady Shai Alyt.”

“Then begin.”

Despite losing their stealth the Minbari fleet still held many advantages, one of which was speed. On Branmer's signal both Minbari formations accelerated, slightly altering their positions as they did so, opening gaps and lanes within their ranks.

“General, enemy forces holding course and increasing speed.”

Denisov observed with a frown.

“Now what's he up to?”

“They're on a collision course, both formations!”

“No, that makes no sense.” Denisov leaned forward, scrutinizing the display. “He didn't go to all this trouble to kamikaze us.”

“Impact in thirty seconds! Shall I order evasive action?”

It made no sense, Branmer was an artist of strategy, he wasn't going to throw away the last of the Minbari fleet on a suicide run.

“General?”

“Hold position.” He ordered firmly. “Maintain fire.”

“Aye sir.”

His staff buried their doubts and obeyed their orders, standing firm and unflinching before the onrush of Minbari ships from ahead and above.

Denisov quietly observed that this was the grandest game of chicken anyone could ever have claimed to play, one way or another he was going to go down in history.

Branmer was both warrior and priest and his life before the death of his friend and ally Dukhat had been one of history, pouring over ancient texts and tomes. Many of those had contained knowledge of ancient military strategies and tactics which most warriors dismissed as obsolete. What use were mounted cavalry tactics in an age of neutron cannons and antimatter beams?

Branmer disagreed. In his studies he had discovered what had once been the signature tactic of the Star Riders, the Weaving Waves. In battle it required two formations of cavalry to charge on a converging path at full speed and through perfect timing and positioning pass through each others formation without slowing down. It had been used to outmanoeuvre enemies in countless battles and proved almost impossible for the other clans to copy, the Weaving Waves had been the pride of the ancient Star Rider knights and Branmer would make it so again.

The two groups of Minbari ships hurtled at one another with Denisov in the middle, his gunners throwing every ounce of power into the weapons, melting their guns as they emptied the capacitors into the alien fleet. The relatively small battle space was filled with drifting debris, expanding gas and viciously fighting battleships. The hazards were many but unlike the knights of old Branmer could call upon computerised flight controls and advanced plotting subroutines.

At the final instant they made a few minor corrections and converged from both directions on Denisov's fleet sweeping through the formation at full speed, crossing between the dreadnoughts and each other in a flash of blue and purple hulls tinged with gunfire.

Both sides took damage, but neither had the chance to put sustained close range fire on to their opponents. The Earth Dreadnoughts were left standing still as the Minbari weaved their way through them and into open space, Neroon below and Branmer now behind the battered grey formation.

“Adjust position!” Denisov snapped, not having time to feel relief that he had been right about Branmer's lack of suicidal intent. “Cruiser formation, recalculate interception course. Helm, bring us about and get us moving!”

“Plotting pursuit course.”

He had to admire the sheer nerve of his opponent, not even the Dilgar had charged a Dreadnought gunline, let alone from two directions at flank speed. Branmer was good, he knew the strengths of his fleet and had played them expertly, but it wasn't going to save him.

“All ships responding, coming about.”

“That head start won't help him much. Continue firing, warn the second line to expect inbound hostiles.” Denisov ordered. “They just need to bog him down long enough for us to catch up and finish the job.”

“Earth ships redeploying astern.”

Branmer nodded in acknowledgement.

“Deploy second division to form a barrier, we will take our place with them.”

“At once.”

“First division will move ahead and clear a path to Earth, bombardment ships will follow close behind. Launch all fighters and deploy them forward.” The Shai Alyt ordered with complete focus, reshuffling his deck for the next round of the contest. “Swiftly.”

Branmer's command rearranged itself for the final time, assuming the formation it would hold until final victory or defeat presented itself. He sent his best crews forward ahead, driving an arrowhead towards Earth designed to pierce the remaining defences and escort the most valuable element of the mission, the thirty ships of the bombardment force. They were slightly older model ships armed with antimatter beam cannons, inferior to more modern cruisers in ship to ship combat but far superior when striking ground targets.

The other element of his force would provide a rear guard and engage in a fighting retreat to hold back General Denisov's pursuit and keep them away from the bombardment ships. The rear guard were his newer and less capable crews in older ships, their role was to delay the human pursuit by sacrificing their own lives. They simply didn't have the numbers or talent to best Earth's professional fleet and few were expected to survive.

Branmer and a small core of his best ships stood with them to act as a mobile reserve and to strengthen their resolve. They knew what their chances of survival were but to see their leader stand with them gave them the fortitude to stare death in the face without blinking.

“Shai Alyt, Neroon is signalling.”

“Well done my student.” Branmer opened the channel. “Are you in position?”

“We are clear of the main Earth fleet, they have left a screen to face us but seem to be moving their main strength against you.”

“As expected, we threaten Earth, they will not hesitate to throw everything at us.”

“We can assist you, attack them from the rear and draw them away...”

“Unnecessary, the rear guard will suffice to delay them. Hold your position Neroon, Earth fleet reinforcements are due any moment.”

“Shai Alyt, at least move your command ship to the bombardment fleet, if you stay with the rear guard you risk almost certain death.”

“If the rear guard fails this battle is over, the war is lost. It is the critical part of this plan and I must see to it personally, as you must see to your task.” Branmer said flatly. “Hold that position, keep the humans divided, it is our only chance.”

“As you order Shai Alyt.”

“This is the decisive moment for our people, the most important battle since the era of Valen and with consequences just as dire. Against that we are all expendable. Hold them Neroon.”

“In Valen's name.”

“In Valen's name.”

*

“Someone calling for me?”

Jeffrey Sinclair tapped the communication controls on his instrument panel. “Say again?”

“Commander Sinclair, enemy forces have broken through the front line. Move your squadrons forward and engage Minbari units immediately.”

“Understood.” Sinclair exhaled, his heart rate climbing. “All squad leaders, did you hear that.”

“Affirmative.”

“I thought the main fleet was supposed to hold for twenty minutes?” Commander Shiro of the Rising Suns brought up. “How long did they manage?”

“Four.” Sinclair checked. “The Minbari went through them in four minutes.”

There was a deafening silence on the other end of the line. Everyone knew this battle was a fight for time, a delaying action, every minute was worth a hundred ships. For the Minbari to carve through them so quickly was a grievous event. Far ahead they could see the glow of yellow and red lights, each light the molten burning hull of an ally.

“Doesn’t matter, we knew this was going to be hell.” Sinclair snarled trying to draw his pilots away from their grim thoughts. “This was never going to be easy, this is their last chance to win and our last chance to lose, they're not going to be pulling punches and neither will we! Ghosts, Raptors, form up and accelerate to combat speed. Suns, stay behind us, we'll clear a path and support you on your attack run.”

“Assuming position.”

“Taking point.”

“No heroics, stick to the mission, stay alert and don't let your guard down for a second. We can do this, we will do this.”

Sinclair forced himself to believe, forced himself to find faith, hoped through sheer force of will he could achieve the impossible and bring his people with him.

“Afterburners on my mark... mark!”

The second line of the Earth Force defence now moved into action swarming forward with purpose if not particular grace or skill. Mixed among the armed civilians were thousands of Starfuries, mostly modern Aurora class birds but with a significant number of older Nova and Tiger Furies drawn from the reservist formations. Many carried nukes but most were armed with plasma warheads which would be of questionable utility against Minbari armour.

Sinclair's air wing of three squadrons moved to join the rest of the group, thousands of blue specks showing the burning engines of the strike groups forming into attack waves. They quickly caught up to the rear ranks of Earth's second line of defence, passing through the freighters and shuttles with hard expressions worn on their faces. In every direction there were ships, space was choked with them, grey, white and blue hulls awkwardly moving toward the deadliest warmachines in the galaxy. Lambs to the slaughter.

Sinclair's people had seen plenty of combat, they knew what Minbari did to their enemies, how quickly the finest and most powerful ships in the Navy had been reduced to formless tangles of metal, the great flying fortresses that had subdued the Dilgar and freed the League barely able even with upgrades to hold on without numerical superiority. These civilian ships, men and women with no true idea what waited for them were nothing but a distraction, just something to cloud Minbari scanners and distract their gunners while the strike fighters made the real attacks.

The thousands of lives around them were a sacrifice and nothing else, and the most sobering part of that reality was that they knew it and still moved up to engage the Minbari in almost certainly the final act of their lives.

No complaints, no hesitation, not a single ship fell back, broke formation or tried to run. Sinclair had no words to describe it, he simply swore silently he would make their sacrifice mean something.

“Belt Squadron Eight, Minbari entering our defence perimeter.”

“This is General Lefcourt, all units fire at will. Escort wings consolidate on Belt Alliance units.”

“IPX Contingent moving forward.”

“Logistics group advancing.”

“Earth Force Museum squadron deploying to attack.”

Sinclair saw the initial volleys in the distance as he advanced, a barrage of pulse cannon and plasma fire that was a poor imitation of the Dreadnought line the Minbari had just smashed through. If the shots did damage he couldn't tell, all he saw was the Minbari response.

The sky turned white as every ship for dozens of miles in every direction evaporated, the Minbari sweeping them aside with barely a pause. More Earth ships piled into the melee, closing as fast as their low grade engines would take them. Most never even made it into firing range.

“Belt Four requesting immediate assistance, any unit in range respond!”

“Black Solutions Fleet destroyed, all remaining PMC flotillas form on the Belt Alliance.”

“Survey Ships taking fire on three sides! We can't...”

“All ships keep attacking, they can't stop all of us!”

Sinclair knew the Minbari could and likely would, but it didn't matter, the civilians were doing their job, playing their part so he could play his.

“All fighters accelerate to attack speed, arm nuclear warheads and prepare for your torpedo run.”

*

“Flash traffic indicates the Minbari fleet is already at Earth and the defences are under heavy attack.”

Admiral Ferguson clenched his teeth, his jaw twinging as he tried to imagine the brutal spectacle unfolding. The reports and desperate calls over sporadic communication channels feeding a steady anger and frustration.

“How long to Earth?”

“Four minutes.” His XO reported.

It was going to be terribly close. Ferguson had crossed almost half way across EA space to get back in time for this battle, pulling every available ship that could make the journey, prioritising his heaviest units, fighting hyperspace itself to make this appointment. The fact the battle had already begun angered him, but by the sounds of it he wasn't too late to ensure victory.

“Can we contact Earth?”

“Negative, all direct frequencies are being jammed. We have a partial sensor feed from one of the Luna warning stations.”

“Status of the defences?”

“It looks like the Minbari have broken through the fleet and are cutting down anything in their path. They could be at Earth any moment.”

“Open a channel to Admiral Hamato.” He ordered. “Akira, are you seeing this?”

“I'm seeing it.” The elder officer replied from his own distant flagship deeper in hyperspace. “We're fifteen minutes out, we won't make it in time.”

“We will.” Ferguson resolved. “We'll jump as soon as we're in range, hit the Minbari hard from behind and trap them between the defence grid and our fleets.”

“Denisov still seems to have a lot of ships in the fight, he just needs the pressure taking off long enough for him to regroup.”

“So I see.” Ferguson nodded. “If I can force them on the defensive Denisov can regroup and counter attack. Between the two of us we'll have the firepower to end this.”

“I'm going to jump in on the far flank, if you can slow them down until I arrive we'll have the Minbari trapped between three fleets. Yours, mine, and Denisov's.”

“I don't care how good this Branmer is, no one can get out of a trap like that.”

“Agreed.” Hamato nodded. “Relieve General Denisov, force the Minbari away from Earth, and then we'll surround and destroy them with superior numbers and firepower.”

“We'll be there in two minutes, I'm already set up in jump formation.” Ferguson reported. “They've probably seen us coming, I'm expecting a warm welcome.”

“Don't over extend, wait until I bring the rest of the fleet in.”

“Understood, we'll focus on relieving the pressure on the defence and coordinate a final push when you arrive.”

“Good hunting Admiral.” Hamato wished. “Save some for the rest of us.”

*

“The relief force.”

Neroon narrowed his eyes as he scrutinised the holographic display hanging around him. It was an intimidating sight, hundreds of human heavy warships bearing down in hyperspace ready to drop a hammer blow on his forces. He couldn't stop them and while his fleet was formidable he wasn't going to win a battle of attrition against that many Earth Force capital ships.

He checked the scene behind him, Branmer was fighting a fierce rearguard against General Denisov, neither were in a position to help one side or the other. The spearhead was still driving for Earth casually obliterating the human auxiliary ships desperately trying to swamp them. Neroon was by himself as expected about to take on the best of Earth Force.

He was going to die, he and his entire fleet, and he had known that from the moment this operation was announced. Like a true warrior, a real warrior, he accepted his death and did not cringe or cower, all that remained was to ensure his end had honour and his orders were fulfilled.

“Alyt, all units are in position, we have formed a defensive line and are prepared for barrage fire.”

“Have you ever heard the phrase that the best defence is offence?” Neroon remarked absently, gaze still on the incoming fleet. “The humans seem to live by it, even when they have a strong defensive position they will always attack, even here.”

“I have not heard that before Alyt.”

“Something the Shai Alyt remarked upon.” Neroon smiled despite himself. A lightness took over, his grim expression softening as he saw his future laid out before him and knew what had to be done. He couldn't cheat death but he could still give it a surprise or two.

“We will attack.”

“As you order.”

“We are outnumbered and outgunned, but the humans will arrive in travel formation, they will need a few moments to consolidate their fleet into a battle line. We will attack them before they can do this. We will dive into their ranks, get amongst their force and deny them the advantage of numbers.”

“With respect human ships are designed for close range brawls, we will be giving them exactly what they want.”

“They will be expecting a long range battle, expecting us to fight as we always fight. But not today, we are Star Riders, our ancestors charged into battle with lance and sword, this is how we too shall fight.”

“Yes sir.” His second in command raised his chin slightly, stirring his pride. “Orders sent.”

“We will not survive, but we will finish our mission.” Neroon grinned. “Computer, search the archives, find me a warriors hymn and broadcast to the fleet. Let us die as well as we lived.”

The jump points opened near Luna echoing the arrival of the Minbari, but in this instance they deposited Admiral Ferguson's weary but determined battle fleet. They were already deploying fighters and gathering data, their sensor systems active and targeting computers selecting targets.

The Minbari were waiting for them, ready for them. As soon as the points opened Neroon ordered the advance, his untested warriors and brand new ships accelerating still far beyond any human ship. With blood rushing through their veins and war songs in their ears they rushed Ferguson's fleet catching them by surprise and out of position. The two juggernauts found themselves face to face, blue crystal and grey metal, this time though the Minbari had seized the advantage. Neroon's forces held their fire until the last moment to ensure the first volley would be devastating, only opening fire as the jump points closed and the EA fleet had nowhere to go.

“Evasive starboard!” Ferguson snapped quickly seeing Neroon's plan. “All batteries, all ships, fire at will!”

Both sides fired almost simultaneously at ridiculously close range, a handful of miles, close enough so that it was impossible to miss and energy diffusion was irrelevant. The lead elements of both groups dissolved in heat and light, warcruisers and dreadnoughts melted away at point blank range. Fighters turned hard to clear the firing lanes as Minbari and human ships unloaded ferocious broadsides into each other as they passed by.

In the space of seconds everything turned into a firestorm of gunfire, molten debris and warships breaking apart. Warcruisers and frigates sliced through their human counterparts with negligible effort leaving molten edged gashes in the thickest of armour. In turn Earth Force hammered the passing vessels with a storm of gunfire, literally blasting the Minbari vessels into superheated fragments.

Nothing was held back, the commanders and crews of both sides throwing aside thoughts or self preservation, their focus only on destroying those in their gunsights. The entire war was condensed down to this small patch of space near the Moon, all the anger, the hatred, the simple desperation, everything was poured into the fray.

“They're in our formation, Minbari ships everywhere!”

“Calm the hell down!” Ferguson snapped. “Forget the battle line, consolidate by task force!”

Ferguson swiftly altered his plan, adjusting his tactics on the fly. He had expected a fleet to fleet battle, two large forces arrayed against each other, but if the Minbari wanted to turn it into a melee he was fine with that. He knew his crews, knew their training, whether fighting as one unit or as individual ships they were simply better than their enemies.

“Tighten up our escorts and set up interlocking fields of fire.”

Instead of one mass of ships Ferguson's fleet split up, grouping together into dozens of small task forces, knots of warships like small forts the Minbari would flow around. Each group would support its neighbours setting up a crossfire the Minbari would have to pass through to attack gradually wearing them down.

“This is going to delay us.” Ferguson grimaced. “Best speed toward Earth, but keep us in formation.”

*

“Coming up on their fighter screen.” Mitchell warned. “Hostiles on scope. Six hundred plus.”

“We'll break through and run interference, don't get bogged down, stay with the Strike package.” Sinclair ordered. “This is it Alpha Wing, burn them down.”

He opened the throttles wide and muttered a quick prayer. Sinclair wasn't the galaxy's most religious man but any help he could get was going to be welcome. He felt the engines kick in, the familiar pull of the G-forces, the hum of the reactors as everything tuned itself up, a melody of capacitors and regulators. His guns were ready, targeting systems functional, ahead he could see clearly the Minbari capital ships and the glimmers of light reflecting from the hulls and canopies of Minbari fighters vectoring in.

To the left and right the sky burned, the second line of defence fought and died bravely but it wasn't slowing the Minbari down nearly as much as expected. Now it was down to Earth's fighters, the legendary Starfuries that had surprised the galaxy a generation ago and performed miracles against the Dilgar warmachine. Today would be the ultimate test of their design and reputation.

“Contact!” Mitchell yelled. “Break, break, break!”

In a heartbeat the formation dissolved as each veteran pilot took evasive action, getting some distance and executing a series of tight turns designed to both throw off pursuit and put the fighter in a position to counter attack. Green beams swept past finding nothing, the Minbari craft racing past in a flash of blue crystal and accelerating hard away.

“Ignore them, do not pursue!” Sinclair ordered. “Stay on course, we can't catch up to them anyway.”

He was right, the Minbari fighters still greatly outpaced Furies and whoever was coordinating the defence knew that. The Minbari fighters were making high speed passes, zoom and boom as the older pilots called it, simply slashing through the EA formations and looping back around for further attacks. Sometimes they ran into a wall of gunfire, sometimes they missed, sometimes they cut down any Fury to slow to react.

It was a good tactic that played to their strengths, but it wasn't stopping Earth Force and if they wanted to protect their warships the Minbari pilots were going to have to start fighting on human terms.

“Coming up on the enemy perimeter.” Shiro noted.

“Ghost Squadron, follow me in.” Sinclair ordered. “Raptors stay close to the Suns, execute.”

Now the real fight began. Sinclair's squadron loosened up as it passed into effective range of the Minbari spearhead, escort frigates immediately lighting them up with active sensors.

“Launch your decoys and prepare a close pass, weapons and sensors only.” He barked. “Don't go for the kill, one pass only.”

The closest frigate turned to meet them, an elderly design not much larger than an Olympus class. It opened up with pulse weapons rather than the expected beams tracing the sky with white bolts of light. The Starfuries jinked and twisted randomly, the novice Minbari gunners having a hard time keeping them in their sights. Sinclair wasn't carrying anything powerful enough to kill this ship and it wasn't worth his colleagues wasting a nuke on. Instead he swung in as close as he dared and sprayed gunfire into its weapon emplacements,snapping the long projections and shuddering the vessel as it was wracked by secondary explosions.

Around him the rest of his unit did the same, an artistic display of precision flying that stripped the frigate of weapons and sensors leaving it blind and toothless, no longer a threat to the defences and easy pickings for a passing warship.

“We've got an opening, line up on a capital ship.”

The three squadrons regrouped and burned past the broken frigate, ahead of them the main body of the Minbari attack group itself still slicing through the massed freighters and auxiliaries.

“We have a target, Sharlin cruiser.” Shiro announced. “Beginning attack run.”

The twelve birds of the Rising suns squadron accelerated, Catherine Sakai among them, and formed into three waves of four craft. Despite packing nukes it was probably going to take more than one hit to bring down something as massive and well defended as a Sharlin, if it could be done at all.

“Enemy fighter screen ahead.” Sinclair noted. “Break and attack.”

Sinclair turned his people loose, the grey fighters splitting and accelerating, timing and pacing their approach for maximum impact. Sinclair himself took the lead, Mitchell close on his six scanning for threats and playing the wingman role of defending his leader. The Minbari fighters saw them and came in to intercept, standard formation, standard attack deployment.

This was going to be a slaughter.

He waited until the optimal moment, then with a nudge of the controls spiralled to the left throwing off the Minbari targeting systems. He made two more brief twists and dropped into weapons range while the Minbari were still reacting and trying to lock the incoming human craft.

Sinclair didn't bother with a cannon lock, not at this range against these clearly novice pilots. He fired over open gunsights and brought down two fighters within moments of each other, pirouetting swiftly to land a passing shot on a third as he swept past.

Around him his squadron moved with similar efficiency and blasted through the enemy squadron and clearing a route for the others. More Minbari were changing course and heading their way suddenly aware of the impending danger.

“Stay frosty, we have our breach, just hold another couple of minutes.”

More and more squadrons were piling into the fight on both sides, the intensity of combat increasing exponentially as the two juggernauts collided. The sheer scale was beyond anything Sinclair had seen, rivalling the old documentaries about the great battles of the Dilgar War.

Beneath them the Rising Suns pushed forward, the Minbari cruiser finally noticing the inbound threat.

“Raptor Squadron, moving to cover.”

With no further comment the second element of his airwing altered course and raced ahead of the strike craft, weaving past a few hollowed out Minbari fighters and engaging their full ECM and countermeasure package. It worked to an extent, the first few shots from the Minbari cruiser missed, but every subsequent salvo drew nearer and nearer the Earth fighters.

“Peel off starboard, all yours Suns.”

Catherine Sakai tried to hold the fighter steady, well aware that the nervous shaking of her hands was causing the Fury to shudder. On her wing Yumi Hanji kept formation, both planes carrying a quartet of nuclear tipped torpedoes on their upper wing struts. She watched the escorts peel away drawing a limited amount of fire before they vanished into the blackness. All the flashes of gunfire, explosions, duelling fighters, all of it melted away until all that was left was the Minbari cruiser and her gunsights.

They had timed it so the cruiser had only seconds to see the threat and react, all the distraction and misdirection focused on giving the strike squadron as much surprise as open space allowed. They had to act instantly, every second lost was an extra second for the cruiser to train its guns and open fire.

Sakai ran through the sequence on automatic, arming the weapon, releasing safeties, setting the computer to attain lock. She checked her position, glancing upward just in time to see the Minbari cruiser open fire.

In the space of a heartbeat everything went to hell, the first four fighters vanished as a single beam destroyed all of them one after the other. Sakai jinked hard to avoid the debris and burning gas that had been her comrades, the rest of the survivors doing the same.

“Hold course!” Shiro demanded. “Fire when ready!”

Two more Furies exploded beside Sakai, she suppressed a scream, held her nerve and surrendered to training. She didn't think about the Minbari, about the bright fusion beams just metres from her sweeping the sky, she just waited for the electronic tone telling her she could fire. It took a lifetime.

Finally the nukes dropped from her wings, floating beside her for an instant as the rockets engaged, and then streaked for the cruiser. She at once turned aside and went to emergency thrust, the cruiser by now having bigger problems to worry about than her. Most of the weapons were destroyed but several made it detonating in a brief blinding flash gouging thousands of tons of material from the Minbari warship.

The enemy vessel rolled lazily, most of its flank shredded and gushing flame as the decks vented atmosphere. Within ten seconds the ship was dead in space, another relic of the war.

“All squadrons reform.” Sinclair ordered. “Target destroyed, good work.”

He hid his relief that Catherine was alive, he couldn't put his personal feelings ahead of completing this mission, not with Earth at stake.

“We've expended all our heavy weapons.” Shiro reported. “And we're down to four Furies.”

“Raptors are down to seven.” Mitchell reported. “We're still at full strength.”

Thirteen fighters for a Sharlin wasn't a bad exchange, but these were some of the best pilots in the fleet and losing them was a bitter blow. Not least because they were his friends as well as allies.

“We'll provide cover for the other Strike groups.” Sinclair moved to his next set of orders. “Keep the fighters off them while they make their own attack runs.”

The diminished airwing looped around and accelerated towards the thickest fighting, the whole sky filled with burning ships and traces of gunfire. Sinclair couldn't imagine anything living for long in that Maelstrom but he had thrown himself and his friends into it. It is what his father would have done, and he would not dishonour his memory with hesitation or doubt.

*

“This isn't working.” Captain Anderson ran the numbers with a chill. “Minbari ships are breaking through the second line, just ploughing through and ignoring losses.”

“Not like the Minbari to leave enemies at their back.” Admiral Tennant noted with concern. “He's going all out for Earth, ignoring every other consideration.”

“The fleet can't stop him, relief forces are bogged down.” Anderson noted.

“So it's our turn.” Tennant cracked his knuckles. “Like destiny isn't it?”

“I'd be happier if someone else had nuked them.” Anderson exhaled. “We're ready sir, all weapons and propulsion systems active. We have no fighter cover but it looks like most enemy craft are tied up anyway.”

“We'll intercept this group of vessels about to break through.” Tennant directed. “Catch them from the flank and light them up.”

Tennant's Dreadnought group moved toward the action, engines straining to shift the massive warships, gradually picking up speed as the Ion drives pressed them ahead. They formed into parallel lines, one above, one below, with Captain Black of the Warspite leading one group while the Nemesis led the other, Captain Hague's cruisers offering escort and support.

“Set target.” Tennant ordered. “Minbari warship group, red four zero.”

“Plotting firing solution.” Anderson reported. “Aligning now.”

“Turn to engage.”

In sequence the dreadnoughts made a sharp turn toward Earth matching course and speed with the Minbari ships. As they turned the massive gun turrets swung out, the warships aligning so the guns on the far side could fire over the hull and between the turrets on the near side.

“They've seen us, enemy targeting sensors are locking us!” Anderson warned.

“Too late Boney.” Tennant grinned widely. “Open fire.”

The broadsides were spectacular even for a Nova, the Nemesis and her group engaging with staggered salvoes of pulse and laser fire, the guns alternating for maximum effect on target. Even more vicious was the Warspite group that unleashed capital grade rail gun rounds accompanied by arcs of lightning and burning gas, the giant cannons slamming back into their mounts as the recoil mechanisms battled to stop the gun barrels smashing through the back of the turret.

The Minbari ships had no defence against that level of firepower, the entire flank crumbled in a growing pall of flame and light, the laser and pulse shots eating away the mass of their targets while the rail guns simply cored clean through literally eviscerating the blue warships.

“Heavy damage to initial targets.” Anderson reported. “Switching position for second set of hostiles.”

“More Minbari inbound, they're turning toward.”

“Hold steady, fire when you have a solution.”

“Incoming.” Anderson warned. “Deploying countermeasures.”

The dreadnoughts launched chaff and smoke from their hull mounts creating a sudden dense smokescreen that blinded Minbari sensors and helped diffuse energy weapons. It saved the battlegroup from the full force of the Minbari response but made their own laser weapons virtually useless until they moved clear.

Luckily it had no effect on rail guns.

“Captain Black is engaging again.”

“Good girl.” Tennant acknowledged. “Alter course, prepare for continuous fire as soon as we clear the smoke.”

The hard edged warships cruised through the black smoke like wraiths, wisps of particulate matter streaming behind them as they caught and disturbed the screen. They began firing at once, staggering their volleys this time to maintain a steady pressure on the Minbari vanguard.

The Minbari had been badly mauled but with the threat established they made their response, the formation flowing and altering to present a rapidly reinforced front to the human dreadnoughts. These were far from the finest ships in the Minbari fleet but they were still formidable and Branmer had prepared them well.

Green beams lanced into Tennants fleet, one of Hague's cruisers reeling out of formation belching atmosphere and debris. Earth force retaliated, smashing another half dozen Minbari cruisers that were replaced almost instantly as Branmer redirected as much firepower as he could spare to this clear threat.

A dreadnought fell to several well timed strikes, stripped to its inner hull and then ripped apart by internal detonations. Two more cruisers fell followed by one of the precious railgun armed battleships.

“Heavy fire incoming!” Anderson barked, the Nemesis rumbling as a fusion beam ran down its hull spraying molten armour into space. “Minbari forces moving to flank us!”

“Keep us close to Earth!” Tennant demanded. “Two points starboard, continuous fire all batteries!”

“We're not going to last long without support sir!”

“Continuous fire!” Tennant repeated through his teeth. “We've got nowhere else to run.”

The Nemesis responded, the veteran dreadnought rippling gunfire as she took on four enemy cruisers simultaneously. She survived the response, her hull standing up just barely to the Minbari fusion weapons that gouged and cut her flanks. The damage built moment by moment, her wounds grew, her allies fell aside in flame, but the Nemesis did not flinch in the face of the onslaught streaming smoke and debris behind her.

With the blue Earth behind them the Dreadnought group made their stand before the Tempest.

**

“Reinforcements are due any second!”

“Can we raise them?” Admiral Ferguson called, the entire ship shuddering as the Charlemagne pumped out salvo after salvo.

“Negative sir, comms are jammed!”

The Minbari had gotten smart, in addition to taking an unexpectedly aggressive stance and trying to pin his fleet away from Earth they were also jamming his signals making it impossible to coordinate his forces or link up with General Denisov and the main defence force.

Luckily his fleet knew their business well enough to act independently and fight back on their own, meeting the Minbari head on and pushing back hard. His officers knew that linking up with Earth was their goal and worked towards it, aiding their fellow ships and forming ad hoc battlegroups from any unit close enough to pick up close range communications.

It was working, slowly but surely his units were making progress, they were driving forward, but the Minbari were preventing him from massing his forces for a decisive break through.

The Charlemagne and her escorts hammered a pair of cruisers at short range, the Minbari ships taking a dreadnought with them before they dissolved in flames.

“Enemy forces shifting again, we're having a hard time keeping track of them with all the ECM.”

“Just focus on overwhelming the closest groups, we'll whittle them down one at a time if we have to.” Ferguson ordered. “Try and move us closer to the next group of ships.”

“Aye sir, cruiser group at...Minbari contacts! Dead ahead using debris for cover!”

“Number and type?”

“Capital ships, three, they're locking on!”

“Open fire, don't wait for a solution, barrage fire!”

*

“Enemy flagship has seen us. She's firing.”

“So noted.” Neroon replied icily. “Not soon enough.”

Neroon's command group made their final preparations, gunfire from the Charlemagne scattering around them. Even surprised a Nova was still an enemy not to be faced lightly and Neroon was quietly proud of his new crew as they kept their wits and laid their guns precisely before signalling ready.

“Target locked.”

“Destroy it.”

The Shargotti shrugged off the several pulses that struck it, the heavy armour superior to it's smaller Sharlin class cousins. She opened her gunports, the Charlemagne still turning hard to bring its maximum power to bear, the heavy guns stuttering orange bolts that hammered one of Neroon's escorts. It wasn't going to be fast enough, they both knew it, both knew how this was going to end.

The Heaven's Wrath fired her forward Neutron lances on behalf of every Star Rider that had fallen to human firepower. Her main gun speared the Charlemagne clean through her hull at a shallow angle, fire and molten metal erupting from either side. The veteran warship reeled but didn't instantly explode, the Charlemagne unbelievably absorbing the initial strike from the most powerful Minbari vessel ever created.

The dreadnought was doomed, its reactors were melting through their casings, reactant venting or igniting, the interior decks immolating as oxygen combusted. On the command deck power failed, the deck pitched amid shouts and screams, the thunder of snapping metal and the expanding hull drowning out most noise an instant later.

The Charlemagne and her crew were consumed in fire, but not before Ferguson emptied the capacitors one last time, a final full broadside blasting defiantly from the warship even as it melted away, the two dozen pulses gutting Neroon's nearest Sharlin escort. Ferguson's war ended that instant, but he did not depart without taking a final tribute with him to the gods of war.

The Minbari guns now spoke again, but this time their word was final.

“Human flagship destroyed Alyt.”

“That will hinder their efforts and buy Branmer time to end this.” Neroon nodded. “Well done, all of you, know we face a fierce enemy and you have conducted yourselves as warriors should.”

He took a moment to acknowledge his staff, he had known them mere hours but already he would trust them with his life.

“Now, find me another target.”

“You may have your wish Alyt, jump points forming.”

“The Earth reserves.” Neroon observed dispassionately. “Our duty is clear, prepare to engage.”

**

“Coordinates aligning, we have clear lock on Earth Beacon Prime.”

“Standby for immediate jump.” Sheridan pressed himself down in his chair, the muscles in his jaw contracting as he felt the deck shift momentarily as the destroyer made a final course correction.

“We only have the Athena on our flank, rest of the fleet will be jumping about seventy thousand clicks behind us.”

“We'll take the chance, we need to get these ships into action right now, every second counts.”

“Aye sir.” Commander Carol accepted without further comment. “Tachyon projectors online, initiating vortex.”

“We're jumping head first into hell people, all batteries weapons free, engage any target of opportunity as soon as the sights clear.”

The Agamemnon lunged forward as she made the transition swapping the swirling chaos of hyperspace for the swirling chaos of war. Almost instantly they found two Minbari capital ships dead ahead well within weapons range, A Sharlin accompanying a much larger battleship. Sheridan didn't even need to give the order.

Both the Agamemnon and Athena engaged with every forward weapon, the energy arrays walking red beams over the two targets while the chin mounted energy mine launchers belched their green projectiles at the reacting Minbari.

“Focus fire on the battleship! Take it out before it can return fire!”

Neroon remained upright as his vessel shuddered, the heavy forward armour deflecting most of the energy from the lasers. The holographic display showed two Earth capital ships, ugly machines that looked like they were powered by clockwork. Behind them more ships were arriving but outside effective range, for the moment it was just these two targets.

“Main batteries online, locking both targets.”

Neroon waited, the targeting data displaying on the holographic curtain draped around the flag deck. The Wrath had more than enough firepower to kill both Earth ships simultaneously.

“Incoming! Energy mines!”

“Switch priorities, intercept them!”

Beside the massed fire of Dreadnoughts, Energy mines were the only weapons he feared. Acquired from the Narn who in turn had crudely reverse engineered them from Centauri technology they were barely contained spheres of antimatter that would casually blast through the heaviest of armour and cause catastrophic internal damage. Even if the ship survived the shock of impact would likely rip up decks, crush bulkheads and destabilise reactors. Given how unexpectedly delicate the reactors on a Shargotti had proven to be that was a serious concern.

The range was much too close and the Earth ships managed no less than six mines between them, a saturation strike even his mighty ship could not survive. Neroon subconsciously braced, he had expected this end and did not flinch from it, a true warrior accepted death without hesitation in service of his duty. An instant before impact a blue shape ghosted ahead of his display, the elegant form of his escorting cruiser racing to put itself between the flagship and the barrage of human weapons.

In a final act of heroism the Sharlin took the full force of the Energy mines, simply dissolving in white light. It saved the Wrath but the explosion was still close enough to pelt the battleship with debris and radiation flash boiling the outer armour and shattering its prow cannons.

“Hard to starboard! Clear the debris!” Neroon snarled. “Damage report!”

“Main guns down, targeting sensors fused!”

“Heavy damage to forward armour, multiple breaches!”

“Secondary guns?” He demanded.

“Available, but tracking is down!”

“Switch to manual targeting, return fire!”

The Wrath turned lazily, her flank mounted propulsion fins perforated by pieces of the broken Sharlin. Her forward hull was still glowing in places, white streams of oxygen leaking from a thousand fractures and freezing in the vacuum. Never the less she still had power and she still had teeth. By the time the fireball engulfing her escort dissipated she was ready to make her reply.

“She's still moving!” Carol warned sharply. “Enemy battleship, powering up! Energy spike!”

“Evasive port!” Sheridan barked. “Fire at will!”

Both destroyers turned as hard as they could in opposite directions spitting fire from their secondary guns as they came about. The Minbari replied with a lattice of green energy. While the Wrath had lost her Neutron weapons her secondary Fusion beams were still extremely formidable, each beam gouging deep into the Earth Force armour.

The Athena took the brunt, pitching upwards at the bow as if she'd received an uppercut from a prize fighter. More hits hammered her engines and ripper up her flanks leaving the ship to roll away wreathed in burning atmosphere and molten metal, her crew furiously working to restore control.

The Agamemnon also took damage, her hangar bays collapsing inward and crumpling in a gust of fire.

“Taking heavy fire!”

“Bring us about! Standby time on target!”

“Aye sir, brace for emergency turn!”

With the Athena out of the fight it was now a duel between the two damaged capital ships and the two most celebrated Captains on either side. The Wrath of Heaven was the better ship but she was damaged and her crew rank amateurs compared to the experienced veterans Sheridan commanded. The Agamemnon responded faster, her flank guns peppering the Wrath with particle pulses, each hit gradually attriting the hull.

“Energy spike!”

The Agamemnon threw herself about, the Minbari gun crews slightly behind the curve without their advanced sensors. Even so several hits struck the Destroyer cutting deep into the hull and slicing away a pair of gun turrets.

“Bring us about! Continue firing all batteries!” Sheridan roared over the din of collapsing bulkheads deep in the ship.

“We can't take much more of this Captain!”

“Continue firing!” Sheridan repeated furiously. “Time on target, fire everything we've got!”

The wounded destroyer slewed sharply about to face her enemy, driving hard for the Minbari battleship. Her forward guns engaged in overload capacity, staggering fire between pulse and beam mode, crack and burn as the crews called it. On her flanks the missile silos popped open and launched in sequence, the grey darts ejected in clouds of frozen glittering gas before their engines engaged and looped them in at point blank range. Finally were the energy mines, the massive projectors devouring the last of the magazines with a steady thump.

Space around the Agamemnon glowed, her engines blazing, her flanks streaming burning atmosphere from a dozen hits, every available gun unloading on the Minbari warship as the missiles billowed about the vehement warship a vision of fury unleashed.

Neroon suppressed his awe at the image of retribution bearing down on him, he knew Earth ships were well armed, knew how dangerous they were at close range, and he knew that losing his calm would send them all to the next incarnation before they completed their duty.

“Point defences, final barrier fire! Engage! Prioritise energy mines!”

The Wrath retaliated, pulse guns hammering the mines and the cloud of missiles. Some would get through, it was inevitable, but he trusted his crews to do enough to keep them alive. The ship vibrated as the Agamemnon carved into her already weakened armour, the Earth weapons now cutting deep into the hull blasting through to the inner heart of the battleship. Systems were failing, weapons going off line, power was fluctuating. He had mere seconds to save his command.

“Standby missile batteries.” Neroon ordered, the rarely used weapons hopefully coming as a surprise to their opponent. “Coordinate with remaining Fusion cannons, plot solution and fire.”

“Incoming! Missiles inbound!”

“Interceptors, now!” Sheridan snapped. “This is going to be close!”

The point defences changed targets rotating sharply and spitting fire. The Minbari missiles were incredibly dangerous, a contact hit from the multi megaton devices would end their fight in an instant even if at this range they might just end up taking the Minbari ship with them. It was a desperate move, a daring one, Sheridan had to respect the nerve of his opponent.

The interceptors proved their worth knocking the missiles down despite the incredibly close range. Most were brought down a few miles away but one penetrated the defences, the interceptors grazing it, sending it spinning wildly out of control. It passed just metres from the ship, passing over the stern where it was thrown backwards by the wash from the engines. That was where it detonated.

The pulse of hard radiation killed the Agamemnon's engines, tearing up the propulsion chambers and pushing the ship sharply off course, angling it directly toward the Wrath.

“Evasive action!” Neroon commanded. “Maintain fire!”

“Helm barely responding, our manoeuvring systems are too heavily damaged!”

“Then I suggest we all brace for impact.”

It was a fascinating image, the torn up burning mass of grey metal barrelling down on him, the holographic display making it look like it was aimed directly at him personally rather than the ship surrounding him. The Wrath was turning but too slow, her damage catching up with her. This was not going to be pleasant.

“Emergency power to thrusters! Blow the airlocks, jettison everything!” Sheridan yelled.

The helm officer did what he could, the manoeuvring and docking thrusters melting themselves open and emptying their fuel in a couple of seconds. It tilted the ship a few degrees, enough to turn a direct hit into a glancing blow, but it wasn't going to be enough to stop the collision.

“Sound collision alert, all hands brace!”

Both vessels were moving at a high velocity but the sheer size of the vehicles made the impact look much slower than it really was. The Agamemnon buried its forward port quarter into the Minbari ship, ploughing along its side in a fountain of bent metal and fragmented crystal. Both ships scraped alongside each other absorbing the massive forces involved, distorting and twisting as they snagged and snapped free.

The rotating section on the Agamemnon slammed into the Wrath's main drive fin, crumpling the thinly made propulsion system which in turn dislodged the gravity section from its bearings causing it to grind to a halt. After six eternal seconds the two warships separated and drifted slowly apart, shredded, powerless, connected by a glittering string of debris and frozen atmosphere but still determined to win their vicious duel.

The entire right side of Sheridan's body was numb, he couldn't move his arm and had to physically check in order to make sure it was still attached. Emergency lighting filtered through electrical smoke, the stink of ozone and burnt plastics assailing his senses, the crackle of shorting systems mingling with coughs as his screw scrambled back to their stations.

“Damage report?” He called. “Tell me we hit them as hard as they hit us?”

“Main power down, we're zero gravity.” Carol squinted to make out the details on his partially destroyed console. “No weapons, no propulsion, minimal life support.”

“And that big son of a bitch out there?”

“Hard to say but I have minimal power readings from hostile warship. No sensor locks, no apparent power to weapons.”

“He's dead in space too?”

“Yes sir, but still partially operational.”

“You can bet whoever is in command over there is yelling at his people to restore power so he can finish us. Well like hell I'm going to give that bonehead the satisfaction. We've started this job and we're gonna damn well finish it! Do we have any chance to restore partial main power?”

“Unlikely sir, and even if we did main gun turrets are destroyed.”

“Missiles? Energy mines?”

“Missiles expended but we do have two energy mines remaining, number one launcher looks intact but we have no power to reload.”

“Then load manually.” Sheridan ordered. “You get as many men as you need and you damn well push that mine into the launcher if you have to.”

“Yes sir.”

“Then find a way to turn us around, use the airlocks as thrusters, we need to point that launcher at that ship before he does the same.”

“At this range sir an energy mine detonation is probably going to kill us too.”

“If it takes out a Minbari battleship it'll be worth it. I know I'm asking the impossible but it isn't the first time and I hope it won't be the last. Give me a weapon and point it at the target. We're going to finish this fight.”

*

While the Agamemnon struggled in its own life or death battle the rest of the fleet emerged in force, hundreds of warships hungry for retribution and unflinching in their determination to defend Earth. Defence fleets drawn from Proxima and Mars took station with Admiral Hamato's battle worn elite, brand new ships and crews mixing with twenty year veterans and vessels that had seen combat back in the earliest of humanity's skirmishes. They were a cross section of mankind, every race, creed, background and belief united in this single simple task.

They began to immediately bite into the Minbari line, chewing up Branmer's rearguard and driving the Minbari steadily back, the sheer weight and volume of gunfire hammering the blue lines of alien ships. It took only a few minutes to break through and link up with General Denisov's hard worn defence fleet, the exhausted and battered crews raising a cheer as reinforcements flooded the system.

The tide was turning, Hamato applying immense pressure, but Branmer had predicted this, he knew it was coming and contracted his forces, brought them in closer to support each other and continue to hold against the mass of Earth ships. He had just minutes until his rear guard broke under the offensive, and for Branmer that was going to be just about enough.

“The Minbari are pulling back, setting up a final line.” Jha'dur observed. “A last barrier to protect their bombardment ships and it might work, there's nothing much between Branmer and Earth.”

The Dilgar dreadnought had emerged at the edge of the far flank not far from Sheridan detached from Hamato's main reinforcements. While Hamato and Denisov now faced Branmer the remains of Neroon's forces still battled what was left of Ferguson's still substantial but leaderless fleet.

“Branmer will break the satellite line before Earth Force can stop him. He can do a lot of damage to Earth.” Shai'jhur reviewed grimly. “Antimatter weapons.”

“And if Earth is heavily damaged it robs us of a useful ally and diminishes our influence in the galaxy.” Jha'dur grumbled. “I think we're going to have to do something. The two main human fleets are fully committed to the attack, what about this fleet? Who is in command?”

“Communications show no single commander, the fleet is operating in several independent task forces.”

“The Charlemagne?”

“Destroyed.”

“Admiral Ferguson.” Jha'dur pursed her lips. “Pity, but his death will motivate the Drazi. He was a personal friend of Warleader Stro'kath and you haven't seen fury until you've seen a Drazi avenging a friend. Still, we're in a good position here, we can bypass the main battle and try to reach Earth before Branmer does.”

“When you say 'we' Warmaster...”

“I mean Ferguson's fleet. Do we still have the Earth frequencies?”

“Yes Warmaster.”

“Open a channel, this is going to be an interesting experiment.”

Shai'jhur didn't question the orders, the anticipation electric as tapped a few controls then nodded to her senior officer.

“Earth Forces, sensors show your Admiral and the next three flagships in the chain of command have been destroyed. As senior officer present I am assuming command of this fleet. This is not a request, it is a necessity. I am sure your sensors are telling you who I am and most of you are dismissing these words.

I am Deathwalker, I was once your enemy but today I am here to fight for your world. I hate the Minbari as much as you do, I have my reasons for being here and I will fight with all my ability to drive the enemy away and save your home. You know me, you know my reputation for winning battles, for success despite overwhelming odds. I can lead you to victory as I led others to victory if you will trust me!

I am going to attack the Minbari flank and break through to Earth and I will do it alone if I have to. This is my fight and I will give my life in this battle if that is needed. All I ask is that you follow me, fight with me, I will not ask you to take risks I will not take. This is your home and only by uniting as one force can we save it. I am the best fleet commander in this system, I believe that and I need you to believe it too.

A lot of you will die, I will not lie, but we will succeed, we will save Earth, and your sacrifice will not be wasted. I can win this fight, many of you have seen what I can do in battle, let me lead you now and show the Minbari that old enemies can become new friends! All I ask is for you to follow me.”

She cut the channel with a huge grin.

“That felt good, I always preferred the old scary speech but that really wasn't bad. Did it work?”

“I think so, we're linking into the fleet battlenet, receiving status reports.” Shai'jhur raised a surprised eyebrow. “Earth Force fleet awaiting orders.”

“This is going to be delicious.” Jha'dur steepled her fingers, mind swiftly mapping out a plan. “We need to disengage from these forces, Star Riders by the look. They will try to follow us, leave four groups to keep them busy, buy us time to move.”

“Those four groups won't last long Warmaster. It's suicide.”

“But their sacrifice will let the rest of us drive for Earth.” Jha'dur noted. “It's a Dilgar tactic, perhaps a little ruthless for humanity, but these are desperate times. Give the orders.”

On her word the fleet began to reform, the bulk disengaging while several battlegroups held back the Star Riders. Without Neroon to command them they failed to respond to the sudden change in Earth Force strategy letting Jha'dur gather her force.

“Set course for Earth, maximum speed.” She ordered. “With Branmer busy fighting Hamato we should have no problem breaking through to orbit.”

“I can't believe we're leading an attack to save Earth.” Shai'jhur shook her head. “No one is going to believe this.”

“I've wanted to command an Earth Force fleet for a long time, today wishes come true.” Jha'dur adjusted their angle of approach, vectoring them in on the Minbari flank. “Now I have one of the finest fleets in history at my command waging war with Akira Hamato on one side and Branmer on the other. This is just my perfect day, so let’s try not to spoil it by dying.”

*

“Ferguson's fleet is back on the move, they're disengaging and moving toward orbit.”

Lefcourt diverted his gaze up to the massive display screen looming over the darkly lit room, ranks of consoles manned by grimly focused officers arrayed before it like pews in a temple. From this post deep below Geneva Lefcourt had taken responsibility for the planetary defence grid, the network of satellites, missiles and cannons defending Earth itself along with the warships and atmospheric fighters supporting them.

“Still a lot of Minbari ships up there.” He observed. Denisov's fleet had held its position well, funnelling the Minbari into a single region of space which was now being assaulted by Hamato's newly arrived ships. Even so the Minbari had carved through every defence line despite heavy casualties and were now dangerously close to Earth itself.

“Range to Minbari fleet?”

“Enemy forward elements coming into firing range, satellite platforms ready to fire, ground based railguns ready to fire, ballistic missiles ready to fire.”

“All stations confirm readiness, planetary defence grid fully operational and ready to engage.”

On paper the defences were formidable, the sheer volume of destruction they could unload on an enemy prodigious, but against an enemy like the Minbari there were never guarantees. All Lefcourt could do was his duty and hope the defences could halt the Minbari long enough for Hamato to finish them.

“Activate defence grid, prioritise enemy capital ships, weapons free.”

“Aye sir, weapons free, all systems responding.”

“Begin firing sequence, coordinate strikes for maximum effect.”

“Firing solutions plotted, time on target set.”

The large display screens began lighting up with status symbols showing the cluster of incoming ships being locked onto by dozens of separate weapons systems, the various officers rapidly coordinating the immense variety of weapons.

“Defence grid armed and firing.”

Everything erupted, on sensors across the system a massive surge of energy and fresh contacts and warnings heralded the last barrier between Earth and the Minbari. An entire sky full of satellites started dumping missiles by the thousand into orbit, a growing river of ordnance flowing out from the planet fed by the satellites as they ripple fired missile after missile.

Many of the older satellites had only missiles, old nuclear tipped devices dating back to the era after First Contact, but mixed in where newer constructs armed with pulse cannons, plasma weapons and a handful mounting Narn derived heavy lasers. These added a more direct power to the fight working in conjunction with the missile salvoes to saturate and overwhelm the formidable Minbari defences.

The Minbari were not surprised, they had anticipated this and deployed accordingly. Escorts and heavy warships took point forming a wall ahead of the bombardment units and began systematically erasing the incoming missiles. While vast in numbers the missiles were relatively slow large targets which the Minbari guns cut down in droves, effortlessly sweeping dozens away with each slice of their beams.

The energy weapons were harder to handle, with the long range guns busy dealing with the missiles they couldn't task them with picking off the satellites themselves, the warships had to go full defensive until the immediate threat was passed. To counter those the Minbari released their fighter squadrons, the Nials more than capable of destroying the weakly armoured satellites and clearing the way to orbit for the attack fleet.

Once again though Earth had anticipated this and had its own countermeasures.

“Alpha Wing, all remaining units, move to intercept enemy fighters.”

Sinclair was tired, even under the adrenalin he was tired. A Starfury wasn't the most comfortable experience on a good day but the constant jinking and evasion, the pummeling of gravity and acceleration, the strain of always being alert, always moving, his body was on the edge of exhaustion.

“This is Sun leader, fuel at eight percent.” Warned Shiro, his decorated Fury falling in a hundred metres off Sinclair's wing.

“Six percent here.” Mitchell called in from the other wing. “Most of the other guys are about the same.”

That wouldn't give them long in combat, the constant use of the thrusters would burn through that in ten minutes or so of all out combat and they didn't have the time to dock and refuel. If they couldn't finish the job in ten minutes they'd be dead.

“Understood, try to keep the Minbari away from the satellites and watch their firing lanes. Don't think they'll hold fire just because you drift into the way.”

“Copy that, I have enemy craft inbound, fifty plus.”

“We'll make a start there. Follow me in, maximum thrust.”

The depleted squadrons turned back into the cauldron, scorched and scarred but still unbroken. Facing them was the last wave of the Minbari fighter wings and arguably the best, the units Branmer had held back specifically for this final push. The Earth defence grid was formidable barrier but it had it's weaknesses, it was designed to be used as long range artillery firing past a more mobile defence of ships and fighters. It was lethal against warships but vulnerable to massed fighter strikes, something Branmer had deduced and now exploited.

The strongest parts of the defence grid were underpinned by the six Orion class battlestations at key points in orbit, the ring type stations pumping out prodigious amounts of firepower and making any approach suicidal. The Minbari avoided them and instead threw their fighters at thinner parts of the grid to create a breach follow up units could exploit.

“Fresh contacts burning for the satellite nodes!” Sakai called out the warning as she rolled the heavy Starfury, the cockpit illuminating blue with each flare of the engines.

“Move to intercept!” Sinclair hastily disengaged. “Raptors watch our back, Suns and Ghosts with me!”

The fighters plunged into the thick of the fighting mixing with Starfuries and Minbari craft from hundreds of different units. This was a titanic duel where the usual rules of the dogfight were slipping away. Space was too choked, ECM blinding sensors as the pilots on both sides fought to keep their awareness in the heart of the melee. It was an assault on every sense with attacks appearing from nowhere, confusion reigned as both sides upped the pressure.

Sinclair's unit blew past the closest group of satellites, the grey and blue structures spitting out nukes and pulse cannon shots against the approaching Minbari ships barely visible from the cockpit of a Fury. Several waves of Minbari fighters were closing, tearing through the nearest Starfury wing with surprising coordination and opening a path for a run on the satellites.

“There's our target, stay loose and try to break them up.” Sinclair accelerated, the nearest Minbari craft altering to meet him. “These guys aren't fools, get in close and take them!”

Green beams lashed out to meet him but too far away, he had already anticipated and positioned himself to avoid them, the lights flashing past with a comfortable five or six metres to spare. He held fire, waited until there was no chance of missing, until the Minbari fighter was so close he could see the controls illuminating the face of his opponent, the Minbari looking right at him as he flung his Fury into a sideways pivot to slide past within arms reach. Only then did he fire, so close that evasion was impossible.

“Ghost Leader, Break right!”

Sinclair didn't hesitate, he heard Mitchell's warning and moved at once rolling and dropping as several beams converged on his former position. It was damn close, their current enemy working as a team showing they were clearly professionals.

“Ghost Squad regroup, watch your buddies!” Sinclair threw his fighter about. “Watch the gun satellites!”

The Minbari were doing all they could to reach orbit, their fighter squadrons pushing slowly through the concentrated Earth Force ranks to clear the way for units of Minbari Flyers to exploit any opportunities. The Flyers were strictly utility craft, armed shuttles and transports mainly, but they packed respectable firepower into their frames making them a serious threat to anything to slow to dodge. Like Satellites.

Despite their full efforts the Earth pilots just weren't able to put enough steel between the Minbari and the defence grid, the blue fighters falling in droves but with barely any effect. Starfuries darted across the attack, elderly Belt Alliance fighters and armed shuttles joining in as they could and all taking their toll. The Minbari continued their advance, a mix of brand new Nial and older Tishat fighters striving to keep the Furies back whatever the cost.

Both units were giving all they had, none were holding back, this was building to the critical moment and it was inching toward the Minbari.

“Enemy fighters are inside the Grid!” Sakai spotted blue shapes darting past behind them, a few flashes of green reaching out to smash the closest satellite rupturing it in a burst of red and orange.

“Switch targets, get in closer!” Sinclair responded. “We have to keep those satellites firing!”

They accelerated hard, acutely aware of their fuel situation but having no choice. The weary craft dove in on the nearest Minbari dodging past the flaming wreckage of a missile satellite to fall in behind the enemy. Minbari fighters were fast but not faster than a barrage of pulse cannon shots.

“More coming through!” Mitchell spotted. “They're all around us!”

The Line was fracturing, Minbari fighters pouring through the gaps in coverage. Starfuries did all they could to push back but by this time they were virtually spent. The Minbari were also on the edge of exhaustion but thanks to their superior craft they didn't have to fight g-forces like their human counterparts. They still had the strength to fight on while Earth Force wavered.

“Where's our support?” Sinclair scanned the sensors. “What happened to Raptor Squadron?”

“They're gone! Minbari on all sides!” Mitchell turned hard. “They're locking on!”

“Break!”

The remaining Ghosts and Suns split and scattered before a swarm of Minbari fighters, the smaller Tishat class banking after them. Smaller and lighter than Nial's the Tishat class didn't hit as hard but they were terrifyingly agile. Three Furies vanished in a heartbeat, Sinclair turning with a snarl but only able to claim one Minbari back in vengeance.

“We need to get out of here!” Hanji yelled. “They're everywhere!”

“We've got nowhere left to go.” Shiro replied flatly, his voice calm and resigned. “Rising Suns, pick your targets and I'll meet you again under the blossoms.”

Each fighter made its own attempts to stay alive, each pilot desperate to grab a few more seconds from the Reaper, to try and bring down another Minbari fighter, to lessen the odds for whoever might follow them. Sinclair's unit was the best in the Force but even they couldn't manage odds like this. One by one they met their end, cut down or shredded by neutron and fusion weapons. Around them the satellites fell, rolling out of orbit as each in turn succumbed to attack. The cost was high for the Minbari but they were opening a breach, the gunfire lessened, the remaining bombardment ships reactivated their drives and began to approach again closing the last few thousand miles.

“Ghost Leader, enemies at six, nine and three!”

Mitchell was still calling warnings but it wasn't going to help, Sinclair was frantically throwing the fighter into evasive moves, he was almost fully defensive, his fuel almost gone and cannons at the point of melting shut. All he could see was explosions, every blast a Starfury going up, one of his. People he'd known for years, friends, personalities. The prankster notorious for once filling the toilets with fast foaming soap, sliced to pieces by three Nials simultaneously. The quiet woman who barely spoke off duty but swore like a demon in battle, rammed by a crippled Tishat. The pair who were maybe lovers but nobody ever pried, killed side by side within a few metres of one another.

Their lives and stories were ending and it was so fast, so many years, so much history, joys and sorrows and companionship lost in seconds. His world was ending one life at a time, one second at a time, and he knew, he knew more than anything the one he cared about most was going to be next.

“Sun Four taking heavy fire!” Sakai rolled aside, her wing flickering flame as the wiring burned and crackled from a glancing hit. “I'm losing thrust!”

“Turn right and dive!” Yumi Hanji shouted from somewhere behind her. “You've got eight on you! Trying for a shot!”

“No, get clear!” Sakai twisted. “Three coming in dead ahead, take evasive...!”

There was a nearby explosion and then a fizz of static.

“Yumi, Yumi?” Sakai screamed down the silent radio. There was no answer from her wingman, just an increasing blare of warning signals. She cut the sounds, muted them, like hell that was going to be the last sound she heard. The Minbari were still vectoring in on her, each evasive turn and roll an act of faith, any tactics or plan long since forgotten as her brain just worked on pure instinct.

Her engines spluttered, fuel dried up, her controls becoming unresponsive as the thrusters stopped burning. She rammed the controls in frustration harder and harder, her every emotion welling up as a scream against the injustice of it, against the helplessness, against the enemy who now looked down on her victorious.

It was a final personal moment of defiance, and when she finished and inhaled she had no choice but to make her peace. There was no more fighting, no chance to avenge her friends. Nothing at all. She had just enough fuel to point the nose toward Earth for a last look at the glorious blue of the Pacific ocean below. If that was the last thing she saw then it was fine, that was enough. She exhaled, relaxed, and waited for fate.

Instead her vision was blocked by a battered Starfury, the ugly warplane racing past spluttering gunfire in irregular bursts, its weapons barely functional. The man within flew like a demon, every restriction on him now gone, no more hesitation, no thoughts of preservation or conserving strength. He had only seconds of fuel left and he was going to use every last instant of that time fighting.

The Minbari were not expecting him, not expecting such control from something moving so wildly. Sinclair was burning at full throttle while slinging around in tight turns and hard rolls, the g-forces crushing his body and pushing him toward blackout. He fought it, battled physics as he battled the Minbari, teeth bared and breath forced through his lungs. Raw adrenaline and natural skill were all he had now, that and his final wish to give Catherine a few more moments of life, a final chance for a miracle.

This wasn't a duel, it was a brawl. His guns spluttered, just enough energy was left to pierce a final Tishat that crumpled ahead of him, cracking his canopy with debris. It didn't matter, the Minbari were on him now and ignoring Catherine's powerless Fury. He drew them away, Mitchell somewhere claiming another kill before he too lost energy and began falling toward the planet, still calling warnings to Sinclair who was deaf to everything now. He banked past a lumbering Flyer and snatched it with his Fury's grappling hook as he whizzed by, the cable dragging the enemy off course and fracturing his lower ribs as its mass jolted the Fury.

He threw his plane around still attached to the Flyer and used his captured target to slam into a pursuing Nial destroying both of the surprised pilots. Debris from the collision hammered his fighter cutting the safety features keeping his reactor intact, coolant spraying from a dozen ruptures and freezing in streams behind his wings. Warnings blared but he didn't care, dropping a wing as a Tishat raced by grazing him with green lances before snapping back up at the perfect moment to ram his forward thruster through the clear crystal canopy of the small enemy fighter. He tore his upper left engine off but it didn't matter, one more kill was worth it.

The reactor initiated an emergency shut down, his backups failed, it was over. Around him were five more kills but he wasn't keeping count anymore. All that mattered was Catherine had drifted away from the fighting. She had a chance

The satellites were burning, debris falling past him, Minbari craft slashing past as they widened the gap in the defences. The main Earth fleet was close but not close enough, the battle had turned. He had failed, but he had taken more than his fair share of the Minbari elite with him and for that he found some comfort. He watched a squadron heading his way, setting up to descend on Earth itself, and as they passed by his warning system detected a lock. One peeled aside and turned toward him, a brief distraction for it's pilot and an easy kill for his tally. It was irritating but Sinclair had nothing left. Maybe if it got closer he'd eject and try hit it with his cockpit.

He didn't get the chance. That instant the Minbari fighter exploded, the rest of the squadron soon after in a sudden confused blur of fire. He snapped his head around to see a black and red fighter cruise past, the distinctive tri-engine design of a Dilgar Dart fighter. He'd seen them before but this one caught his full attention, on it's hull it wore a pattern of red triangles. The same markings Sinclair's father had worn on his old Fury during the war with the Dilgar.

“Ghost Leader, Knight Leader.” A voice called him. “Hold position, recovery shuttles on the way. We'll take it from here.”

“Who are you?” Sinclair didn't bother with formality. “Where did you come from?”

“Just repaying a debt to an old friend.” The voice answered. “Knight Squadron will hold here for as long as we can, stay alive Commander Sinclair. I have no intention of losing a second man of your clan.”

“What do you mean? Who are you talking about?”

There was no answer, the black fighter already accelerating hard back into the fray. He watched it's engine glow, followed it as it pulled manouevres he could barely follow with skill only a handful of people possessed. He knew who this pilot was, who it had to be. The Dilgar ace who had killed his father and now for some reason had saved him.

His mind whirled as confusion and exhaustion beset it. The battle moved away leaving him floating among the debris of a thousand lives, some dead, some trapped like him as spectators to the final act of the battle.

*

“Pacific sector five, six and eight breached!”

“Can we move assets to plug the gap?” Lefcourt watched with gritted teeth as a swathe of his defences fell red. His muscles were tense, at this point he doubted he was able to hide it.

“Negative General, all fighter squadrons are either down or unable to break off. Enemy capital ships closing.”

“Concentrate everything we have on them, ignore the fighters, kill those ships!”

“Aye sir.”

“Whatever we were holding back, whatever last second miracle or desperate gamble we had. Now's the time.” He didn't take his eyes off the map display, at the red dots of Minbari fighters approaching the atmosphere. “Whatever's left, get it up there.”

The Line had broken, the final defence had failed, Minbari fighters touched the sky and began dropping toward Earth's surface. The remaining Starfuries tried to catch them, the handful of Dilgar squadrons fresh from Jha'dur's warship taking the strain as much as they could and losing their lives one after the other in the process, but it wasn't enough.

“Enemy squadrons have breached the atmosphere over the Pacific, they're dropping toward Guam, Hawaii, Okinawa, all our ground based defences in the region.”

“Alert ground units.” Lefcourt ordered. “It's their job now.”

The final dice were rolled, jet fighters climbing to the heavens on white contrails moving to intercept the Minbari fighters coming from above. It was a poor match up, the Minbari were far faster and could largely ignore the supersonic jets, only those directly in their path received any attention.

The entirely unarmoured jets were sliced apart in an instant, their return fire of missiles and cannon fire largely useless against the well built Minbari vehicles. Some fell but most continued their descent spreading out across the region to take out the ground based rail guns and ballistic missile fields that could still threaten warships.

In some places it was more even, instead of elderly jets or a few ancient Alpha or Delta series aerospace fighters the Minbari ran into Banshee fighters, cutting edge air superiority craft built to support the EA Army. While still slower than the Minbari and unarmoured they carried pulse cannons and had the agility to stay alive at high speeds. They were still outmatched and piloted by green officers but managed to exact a toll on the enemy.

The Banshee units tended to be deployed near major population centres, the squadrons fighting with suicidal ferocity and courage over Honolulu, Southern Japan and Northern Australia. They had no idea if the Minbari were going for cities but fought as if they were, intercepting a salvo of anti matter missiles aimed for Pearl Harbour and the pair of anti ship rail guns deployed there.

Elsewhere the Minbari had the edge, sweeping in over the ocean waves with just feet to spare, warships spraying bullets and saturating the incoming units with ripple fired missiles to mixed effect. Large as they were the Naval destroyers and frigates were completely defenceless before even fighter grade beam weapons, the Minbari cutting through them in gusts of fire to attack the floating gun batteries or island based weapons they guarded. A storm of gunfire rose to meet the attack, but Earth's land based weapons were built to fend off rogue human nations, not a concentrated attack by advanced aliens.

The guns began to fall silent, the gap in the defences widening. The Minbari warships approached, by now just a handful but even one would be enough to inflict untold damage. They closed in on orbit, their goal to get underneath the satellites and enter the skies themselves. A last few fighters tried to intercept them only to be cut down in short order, a lone Belter corvette sliced apart as it offered what meagre resistance it could.

Earth sat before them, its shield broken, the Line fractured, its defences burning. There was nothing between the bright blue world and the agents of its ruin. No fleet, no hordes of fighters, no battery of guns or swarm of missiles.

Just one man in a grass skirt.

*

“The Pacific Defence Sector is collapsing, satellites are down and ground based defences are getting shot to pieces.” Captain Anderson delivered the grim news with all due severity. “Earth Station Five is under heavy attack, we're down to three percent Starfury strength in the sector.”

“Where's the main fleet?” Admiral Tennant demanded.

“Both still pushing against the Minbari rearguard, they are making progress but not fast enough. They won't breakthrough in time.”

It was a dire situation and there was no escaping from it. The fixed defences had broken, the mobile forces were bogged down, only Tennant's forces were in position to do anything about it as the final line of defence. Unfortunately his fleet had been taking the brunt of the Minbari drive for Earth and at this point was all but annihilated.

“How are we looking Captain?”

“We're down to two ships, this one and Warspite.”

“Where's Hague's cruisers?”

“Captain Hague is heavily engaged on the flank, he's holding back the Minbari escorts.” Anderson highlighted on the sensor display. “He's keeping them from linking up with the bombardment group.”

It was critical work, if Hague broke the Minbari could send several additional frigates to back up the Sharaal class Warcruisers making for Earth greatly enhancing their strength. Right now the bombardment group consisted of just five cruisers, the rest of their force cut down by the human defences and fighter wings.

“Just five ships left.” Tennant exhaled. “We can do this. We can take them.”

“Sir, we've taken massive damage, two thirds of our weapons are down, we have hull breaches everywhere and the reactor is running at nearly two hundred percent. We'd be lucky to take one cruiser, let alone five.”

“We're not doing it alone.” Tennant tapped his console. “Captain Black, status?”

“Admiral, we're not doing good.” The answer came through from the Warspite hanging in space nearby. “Heavy damage to all sectors, we still have some guns but we're down to about thirty rounds total.”

“Understood Captain. Are you able to follow us in for one last attack?”

“If we have to get out and push we'll be right there on your flank Admiral.”

The old warrior grinned widely, moved by the dedication of his colleagues.

“Copy that Captain, we're going to sweep in and get between them and Earth, we'll be in the gravity well so burn those engines as hard as you can. Get in close, shred them at point blank range, that's it. Kill these five ships and there's nothing else close enough to threaten Earth. Win this and we've nailed it.”

“Aye sir.” Black answered. “On your word Admiral.”

“Five Warcruisers armed with antimatter weapons.” Anderson made sure the situation was entirely clear. “Against two barely functional Dreadnoughts.”

“If we don't they've got a clean shot at China, Japan, the Western US, Australia.” Tennant listed. “And my house too. Hundreds of millions of people Captain, these two battered ships are the only hope they've got.”

“I know sir, just making sure that when we get our next set of medals everyone knows exactly how impressive our deeds were.”

“That's the spirit.” Tennant chuckled. “This will be quite the trick if we pull it off. Even if we don't all we have to do is delay them until backup breaks through.”

“I don't think they'll be much left of us either way.”

“A ship like the Nemesis never dies Captain, you can't kill a legend. You just force it to reincarnate into an even nastier form. Whatever happens next our legacy lives on, if this is our last act let's make it a miracle to inspire whoever follows us.”

“All remaining guns standing by Admiral, we have eighty percent on engines, reactors are in the red but holding for now.”

“Plot your course under the defence grid, relay the data to Captain Black.” Tennant ordered.

“Set sir.”

He allowed a smile, the accumulation of long years of duty and dedication, of pride in his ship and crew who had never failed to answer the call no matter how dangerous or suicidal.

“One last time. Hit it.”

With a growl the throttles opened, four great engines burning brightly as the Nemesis began her acceleration. The hull rattled and shuddered, the drives strained and grumbling. Pieces of shattered hull shook loose from dozens of impacts, long cuts and tears in her flanks allowing wisps of cold air to trail behind the gnarled dreadnought as she picked up speed. Wounded but still intent the Nemesis arced across the sky dropping close to the sphere of the Earth to help shield her from long range fire.

In position beside her Warspite was also struggling, her engines spluttering and leaking coolant as she skimmed the gravity well. Like the Nemesis she was barely holding together, her entire forward hanger assembly crushed inward from ramming a Minbari Frigate. Fires still glowed from within as she leaked air and fuel, her crew too depleted to run damage control.

The Minbari ships slowed a little, their scouts warning them of the incoming Earth ships. They orientated to face the threat, the flanking ships swatting a few random missiles out of the sky as the remnants of the local defence grid still engaged sporadically. What had been a major task force was now down to just these five ships, most of them sporting some level of damage. They were still operational but their Captains were by now fully aware that even if they succeeded in their task there would be no escape. Trapped between Earth and a vengeful Earth Force this would be their final act before death and they embraced it.

None of the ships lining up, human or Minbari expected to still be in one piece a minute from now. But if they could do their jobs first, finish their assigned tasks, then it was worth something. The hopes of Earth and of Minbar conglomerated in this one corner of space, this handful of desperate ships and lives. Within seconds the course of the war, and the future, would be set.

“Closing range, engines at overload status!” Anderson warned.

“Standby barrage fire.” Tennant ordered. “Captain Black, we'll go in first. Once we clear the curvature of the Earth engage any target you can. We'll finish whatever is left up close and personal.”

“Got it, rail guns loaded and set for close range saturation fire.”

“Coming up on target group!” The sensor officer called. “Fifteen seconds!”

“...So stand to your glasses steady, for it is all we have left to prize....”

“Ten seconds!”

“Raise a toast to the dead already...”

“Five!”

“And here's for the next to die.”

The Minbari fired first and a touch too early, their initial volley shaving just over the EA ships, only one beam striking the Nemesis in a flash of antimatter annihilation. She lurched but held steady, surviving guns making final adjustments and breaking into a storm of pulse cannon fire.

The Minbari ships were strong, but also more than two centuries old and not so powerful as their more modern Sharlin class cousins. The nearest ship weathered the storm for a few moments, orange particle pulses hammering the hull shattering crystal and sending bright debris showering in all directions.

“Port ten degrees!” Tennant roared over the shuddering bulkheads and deck. “Keep that ship between us and the others!”

The Nemesis tilted as the thrusters burned hard throwing the ship into a turn, the enemy fire slackening as they pulled their shots for fear of hitting an ally. Tennant put a few more shots into the nearest Sharaal to knock out it's weapons and then left it as the spaceborne equivalent of a human shield.

At the same time the Warspite crested the horizon and banked in the opposite direction from the Nemesis looking to split Minbari attention in two directions. It largely worked, the four remaining Minbari ships logically enough assigning two cruisers per Dreadnought.

“Hard about!” Captain Black roared. “All guns fire as you bear!”

“Forty degrees starboard, Maximum deflection!” Commander Kawoo specified, her black hair slick with blood. The control room of the Warspite was smashed, its bulkheads bulging from damage to the warship's internal frame. The lights were mostly out, a giant steel beam obstructed the centre of the room and the air was heavy with smoke.

“Enemy locking on!”

“Launch all remaining missiles, give them something else to think about!”

Both sides engaged at the same time, at this distance no one was going to miss. The Warspite pelted all four enemies with rail gun rounds, the hypervelocity shots coring through the Minbari hulls with negligible resistance. In turn a pair of green beams danced across the dreadnought focused on its weaponry, shearing off the massive gun turrets and methodically stripping the warship of its teeth.

“Hull integrity down to five percent!”

“Hold course, fire while we can!”

Missiles rippled from the flanks causing a sudden shift in Minbari priorities and taking pressure off the battered warship for a few moments, the Warspite coughing out it's last few shots into its targets. One Minbari ship broke apart, weakened enough that it failed to stop the nukes heading for it, the other three took damage but held steady.

“Starboard twenty!” Tennant called out as the Nemesis broke cover. “Straight through the middle! Give it everything we've got!”

With as much speed as a burning steel brick could still manage the Nemesis flung itself at the last three cruisers who were still reeling from the Warspite. They responded at once fully expecting an attack from the second human ship, but the missile barrage had done enough to force them out of position and only one ship was able to bring it's primary gun into arc.

The green beam cut deep, shearing thousands of tons of metal from the front of the Nemesis, splitting open the forward hull in sheets of fire. The dreadnought retaliated in kind punching back with a point blank salvo that exploited the breaches and cracks inflicted by the Warspite. The shattered hull around the rail gun impacts cracked further under intense pressure, the weak points causing the otherwise tough armour to just crack apart like a flawed diamond.

“Switch targets, brace for impact!”

The fragmenting cruiser pelted the Nemesis with wreckage, most of it bouncing off but some larger pieces snagging on the torn metal of her flanks. She turned to stay in the fight, a last few shots from the Warspite helping before a flash of antimatter silenced the guns of the sister dreadnought. The Nemesis used the confusion to kep up the attack, catching the next cruiser and timing it's rounds to hit simultaneously with the Warspite's last salvo. The combination of kinetic and energy impacts was too much, the third cruiser tilting away in flames leaving just one left.

“Last target, she's turning toward!”

“Where's Warspite?” Tennant glanced quickly over his shoulder toward the sensor display.

“She's out of munitions and moving to ram.”

“Let's kill this last son of a bitch so she doesn't have to!”

“Weapons online!” Anderson bypassed a smany systems as he dared to get energy to the cannons. “Enemy ship is aiming for us, energy spike!”

“Brace for contact!”

The Nemesis charged into the guns of the warcruiser, the Minbari ship opening up with all it's surviving weapons. Like it's sisters it had been weakened by several rail gun hits introducing cracks and flaws into it's armour but it was still operational and fighting fiercely. The Nemesis took the hits head on, the vessel shuddering as it absorbed vast amounts of damage. The ship was legendarily tough, it had been specifically designed to absorb damage as it closed on a target but there were limits and as the entire forward quarter of the ship was ripped away those limits were reached.

“We're losing our weapons, forward guns are gone!”

“What have we got left?”

“Not much, three turrets still responding!”

Despite her damage the Nemesis replied, lashing out but with rapidly failing strength. She scarred the warcruiser, blasting part of the hull away but with only a few guns left she just didn't have the volume of fire anymore to end it quickly enough. The Minbari ship changed targets, its beams tracing the hull and seeking out the last gun batteries.

“She's taking out our guns!” Anderson shouted over the cacophony of battle, the entire ship rumbling under impacts and squealing as metal twisted and split.

“Cheeky bastard!” Tennant gritted. “Fine, we do it the hard way, set collision course and run her up to ramming speed!”

“Aye sir!”

They shifted direction again, the Minbari ship shaving off the last of the Nemesis' gun turrets. By now the Dreadnought wasn't much more than a set of engines and a shattered hull half masked in flame, and yet she still pressed on, still answered commands. If the ship truly had some sort of spirit then she was fighting to the absolute end.

“She's going to flinch.” Tennant stared down the image of the Minbari ship on the crackling viewscreen as if his intensity alone would swing the battle. “She's going to dodge.”

The ship took another hit, something massive breaking deep within the hull.

“That was the keel, we're only held together by the wreckage at this point.” Anderson winced. “Main engines failing.”

“It'll be enough, they're going to break.”

“And if they don't?”

“We still win, we just can't brag about it.” The Maori grinned. “They aren't Warrior Caste, they don't have that pride. They'll move.”

Almost perfectly on his word the warcruiser began to turn, still firing beams but clearly intent on getting out of the way.

“That's all we needed, stay with her.”

“We're still going to ram?”

“Yes, but not the hull, go for the big fin on the back.” Tennant pointed. “And get the last of nukes in the rear tubes.”

It was a big target, the drive fin mounted to the rear of all Minbari ships was the main method of propulsion, on a war cruiser it was almost as large as the main hull itself. Nemesis raced for it absorbing a few more hits from the secondary guns of the Minbari ship as it turned sharply. At this point the extra damage was largely superficial, there was little else to destroy beside the control deck and the reactors and they were still hidden behind hundreds of thousands of tons of molten hull. It was reckless and it took someone like Tennant to even try it, but with unavoidable certainty the wrecked Dreadnought zeroed in on the weak point of the warcruiser, the shattered front end hitting the thin crystal like a hammer hits glass.

“Now, launch the nukes, launch anything!”

The Nemesis reeled away, the Warcruiser starting to roll out of control but still fully armed. As she broke contact the Nemesis fired a handful of missiles from her aft missile racks, not many but at just a couple of kilometres every last one hit in a flash of nuclear light. The Minbari ship was immolated, the Nemesis jolting wildly as she caught some of the energy pulse herself. Given her damage it went largely unnoticed.

“That got it!” Tennant cheered, slamming his hands down on the sides of his chair. “Great work people, they're not going to forget that one!”

“Altering course, moving out of orbit.” Anderson shifted the controls, the deck shifting as she shifted direction. “I'll get us clear of the gravity well then shut down.”

“Good thinking, it'd be embarrassing if we fell out of the sky and flattened a small town somewhere.” The Admiral linked into the communications. “Captain Black, still in one piece over there?”

“Aye sir.” The reply came through weakly, both ships barely operational. “Life support is failing, we'll need to evacuate once we're clear of orbit.”

“Understood Captain. Anything on scanners?”

“We're the only ships within fifty thousand kilometers.” Anderson reported. “A few fighter units but they seem to be pulling back.”

“You hear that over there Captain?”

“I did sir.” Black confirmed. “I'll begin sending crew to the life pods, leave the hull for the salvage teams.”

He acknowledged and ended the signal. “We might need to move some crew off. I'll stay aboard until the recovery teams secure the ship and tow us to a safe location.”

“Orbital Command sends their thanks sir.” Anderson relayed. “General Lefcourt is offering you a freight car of whatever your favourite drink is.”

“Bitter Minbari tears.” He grinned savagely. “I think we have plenty today.”

*

Branmer simply nodded as the report came in, burying any grief he felt for the lives lost until a later time. His view was filled with ships, by now mainly Human, though his forces were putting up a fierce fight. Blue ships darted back and forth fighting a mobile defence, exchanging a few shots and then repositioning to avoid major retaliation. It kept his ships from being overwhelmed but also meant he couldn't really hold any ground.

“Many fine Minbari gave their lives driving for Earth, but not in vain.” He intoned. “They have broken the defences, cleared away the human ships, but fell before they could reap the full glory of their accomplishments. Their names will not be forgotten.”

“Of course Shai Alyt.”

“And their tasks shall be completed. Send in the reserve.”

“Sending orders.”

“The victors in such battles are often those who play their cards last. The humans were so hasty to jump into battle it seems they didn't properly scan hyperspace. I can't blame them for such an oversight, but it has worked out well for us.”

“Orders acknowledged Shai Alyt.” His aide reported. “Reserves are jumping now with orders to attack Earth.”

“Make sure they hit only designated targets.”

“I will confirm it.”

“We must maintain our honour. After that begin jump preparations, all remaining ships will withdraw back to friendly space.” He frowned. “Is Neroon still in contact?”

“His ship is heavily damaged but active.”

“Get a frigate out there, tow him all the way home if needed.”

“At once Shai Alyt.”

“They put up a good fight, a worthy battle.” Branmer gave a nod of respect to his opponents. “But they were always one step behind.”

*

“Jump points in Sector Four!”

Lefcourt saw the massive wall displays immediately light up and blare warnings.

“Who is it? Reinforcements?”

“No IFF, They came out of nowhere, must have been right on the edge of the beacon.”

“Our ships can't get that far out.”

The swirling ruptures dropped a squadron of fresh Minbari warships into space, in this case not the huge Warcruisers of the core fleet but smaller Tigara class attack cruisers. A middle ground design like a hybrid of the smaller Tinashi and larger Sharlin the Tigara was formidably armed with anti matter weapons and an exceptionally strong hull designed for close range brawls. Fourteen of them deployed into combat formation and began their last advance on Earth, space around them completely empty beside the debris of their predecessors.

“What's left in range?” Lefcourt asked.

“A few squadrons, maybe a couple of light ships. Not enough.”

“What about Tennant?”

“His ships are reporting out of action and he's in the process of evacuating crew.”

“Closest allied force?”

“A unit being led by Deathwalker. But it won't be here soon enough.”

“So it's up to her to minimise losses down here? Fate's taking the piss with that one.”

“She'll arrive before they can move from initial targets, but we're looking at major damage to the Pacific bordering nations.”

“Send whatever ground based aircraft we can to the area, use of nukes within the atmosphere is authorised.” Lefcourt took the final desperate step. “Pray the damage is worth it.”

*

“Fourteen ships, heavy cruisers.” Captain Anderson gave the bad news. “They're on approach.”

“Even on our best day we couldn't take all of them.” Tennant grimaced. “Not heavy cruisers like that.”

“And this is a long way from being our best day now.” Anderson shook his head. “We've got nothing, I doubt we'll even get into position to ram, engines are barely making ten percent thrust.”

“Captain Black, are you seeing this?”

“Yes Admiral, fourteen enemy cruisers.” The sister ship replied. “I'm sorry Admiral, we've exhausted all weapons. I'm ready to attempt a ramming attack but I don't think we'll get close.”

“Same here Captain, we can take on or two more hits, they'll burn us down the second we enter range.”

“I'll give the order anyway, evacuate all remaining crew.”

“So will I. Stay in touch Captain.” Tennant turned back to his own Captain. “Alright, nothing else for it, lay in a collision course and abandon ship.”

“Yes sir, maybe a bit of us might dent one of their hulls.”

“Might as well be optimistic.”

The alarms began to sound, the two crippled battleships turning to set course for the new Minbari units, escape pods shedding from the shattered hulls as the last few pulses of power fed into the engines.

“I'll take it from here Captain.” Tennant nodded. “Go get to a pod.”

“Like hell.” Anderson shot back angrily. “I mean... no sir.”

“It only takes one person to steer the old lady, this is my ship Captain, always was and always will be.”

“With respect, you don't get to just go off and die like that. Set her on automatic.”

“Not good enough, the system is smashed and I may need to make course changes when the Minbari evade.”

“This ship will be dead long before it gets that close.”

“Have a little faith in the Lady Nemesis.”

“She's done us all proud sir, but this is the end.”

“Look Simon...”

“Admiral.” He cut his superior off before he could speak. “If the Nemesis was real she'd want you to live on and avenge her.”

The old Admiral sighed, his long serving subordinate was right. Even with the best will in the world they wouldn't get close enough to even try to hurt the Minbari. He had no hesitation in sacrificing his life for Earth, but to do so without achieving anything was a waste of resources.

“Alright Simon, get to your pod, I'm not going to throw my life away.”

“Good, there will be a new Nemesis one day, she'll need a crew and a commanding officer.”

“I'll set the course, open the engines and time the reactors to blow. See you Earth side.”

“Yes Admiral.” Anderson nodded, finding a smile. “This was a hell of a ship.”

“The next one better live up to the legacy. We'll see that she does.” Tennant grinned. “Go on, get gone, this won't take a minute.”

The Captain took his leave for the last time, pushing himself in the zero gravity along corridors who knew better than hi s own home. Tennant made his own final preparations routing all remaining power to the engines. Weapons, life support, jump drives, hanger deck functions. He paused. Jump drives.

“Captain Black, Warspite, still there?”

After a moment the answer came.

“Still here Admiral, the last of the crew are evacuating.”

“Captain, do you still have Jump drives?”

“I think so.” There was a moment as she checked. “Yes sir, they still have power but are unstable. I was planning to detonate them if I get close enough, I could take out two, maybe three ships if they are in close formation.”

“Can you form a vortex?”

“Yes sir, but we'll only be able to hit one ship with that, too dispersed.”

“That's not what I'm thinking Captain.”

“I don't plan on using it to go anywhere.”

“Won't be for us Captain, we're going to give that whole fleet a short trip straight to hell.”

It took a few more moments before Black realised the plan.

“You're going to open the jump points on top of each other.”

“The Dilgar tried it in one of their battles, we called it the Bonehead Manouevre.”

“Because only someone with no brain would try to pull it off.” Black remembered. “The energy release would smash any ship within a few thousand kilometres, heavily damage anything out to about thirty thousand klicks.”

“Including the ships that opened the vortex. Which in this case would be us Captain.”

“Us and fourteen Minbari cruisers.”

“It might not work, and we can't set it on automatic because the safety systems would cut the tachyon stream if it detected an existing jump point. Captain, I can't make this an order but...”

“Send me the coordinates Admiral.” Black answered confidently. “There's nothing else that can realistically work. I'll see it done, my crew has evacuated by now.”

“Understood Captain. And thank you.”

“The Warspite is barely holding together, I can't give you more than a few seconds before the engines detonate.”

“It'll be enough Captain. Move into position and stand by, coordinates on the way.”

Both ships turned on their final journey, spluttering drives giving them a final nudge away from Earth and toward their targets. It was closer than Tennant liked but they didn't have much choice, it would have to be far enough. With undimmed defiance the ships and their last commanders lined up side by side, charred and scorched but still undaunted defenders of their home.

“Jump system online.” Captain Black informed. “On your word Admiral.”

“No time like the present.” Tennant settled down in his command chair, the ship empty and quiet, something he'd never really experienced before. The Nemesis had always been a lively ship with a bright atmosphere, this silence really did feel like the life had left her. But not quite all of it.

“Was a pleasure to serve beside you Captain, you gave them hell.”

“We're not done with them yet.” Black answered with a slight chuckle. “I couldn't have asked for a better fleet to join sir. Seeing you in action with the Lady Nemesis was worth it.”

“We all made a good team.” Tennant spoke truthfully. “Let's get it done Captain, keep the wolves from the door one last time.”

“Aye sir, jump point activating.” Black informed. “I'll save you a seat by the bar in Valhalla.”

“First round is on me Captain. I won't be far behind.”

The Warspite initiated a jump point at extreme range a few hundred kilometres distant, immediately fire jetted from her flanks as the energy draw blew out all of her cooling systems and power feeds. The Jump engines went into meltdown pumping more energy through the shattered tachyon shunts making the jump point unstable. It didn't really matter, no ship was going to reach it anyway, but the feedback began to shake the Dreadnought apart. The vortex was far enough away from the Minbari that they didn't immediately see the threat, it was only when the Nemesis also began to form a vortex that they tried to break and run. By then it was of course too late.

“Alright you Grand Old Lady.” Tennant activated the tachyon projectors. “Let's make sure no one comes close to your kill tally.”

The Nemesis opened her own jump point beside that of the Warspite, the two vortexes colliding and drawing themselves toward each other. They began to tangle with each other, to merge into a ferocious miasma of light and tumbling energy that grew and rippled with unimaginable violence.

The Warspite fell first, the ship dissolving in flames as the reactors went up. It was a clean end for a proud ship, it's jump point by now sustaining itself with energy drawn from hyperspace.

“God speed you Pirate.” Tennant saluted Captain Black as his own ship began to disintegrate, the bridge beginning to physically twist before his eyes as hull sections gave way.

He smoothed down the grass skirt he always wore to battle, the traditional Piupiu a gift from the members of his Maori village back home. It had brought him a lot of luck, it had to run dry sooner or later.

“Well then, let's hope Valhalla doesn't have a dress code.” He smiled widely. “Time to die as we lived old girl, surrounded by screaming victims.”

*

The flicker of the Nemesis' reactors exploding was lost before the maelstrom of the collapsing jump points, the two tears in reality finally falling in on themselves and releasing titanic amounts of raw energy into the region. The Minbari ships were a fair distance from the catastrophe bit it didn't matter. They were blown aside like dry leaves ahead of a hurricane, entirely helpless in the face of the unrelenting storm.

The event signalled the unquestioned end of the battle, both sides had rolled the last of their dice and despite massive losses Earth had held out. With no other means to strike Branmer gave the final withdrawal order, his ships laying down a final salvo of missiles to cover their retreat into hyperspace.

The exhausted human ships let them go, there was no means to give chase, what mattered was simply securing the area and recovering survivors. The tattered fleets united and established a fresh defensive position just in case the Minbari had other plans. Fortunately they did not.

It was over.

The light of the collapsing vortexes was clearly visible from Earth, even in the afternoon sky it stayed there for several minutes a temporary star shining in both victory and mourning. The skies danced with aurora, greens, reds and blues rippling and fading as remnant energy from the event was redirected by the magnetic field in a dazzling and captivating display.

It had been a bloody day, but it also demonstrated that Earth was not so easily broken. The Minbari had thrown all they had, their biggest fleets, their best leaders, the pinnacle of their strategy, tactics, courage and sacrifice. They had given all they had and yet Earth remained.

The Minbari were all but spent. This had been their final real hope of victory and it had been stopped just barely short of success. They had come within a hairs breadth of succeeding, but had ultimately failed. Now the impetus shifted, the balance of power swung away from Minbar and toward their human enemies.

Battered, bloody but unbowed Earth Force marshalled it's surviving fleets, alerted it's armies and strengthened its will. It was time to go on the offensive and bring the war to Minbari space itself.


	16. Chapter 16

16

Cyrus Colony

As strategy went it was actually pretty sound. With Branmer driving for the human homeworld naturally enough all available Earth ships had been recalled for it's defence stripping all of other sectors of their guardians. Even if Earth proved victorious, an unlikely but possible eventuality, their forces would be exhausted and out of position. It would take at least a week to reinforce the frontier which meant until then a bold commander might find some easy glory.

Shakiri was of course such a man, a born warrior and not one to allow a weakness to go unexploited. His failure to capture this star system a few weeks ago had stung him, the lives lost under his command screaming out for vengeance. Once again Branmer had ascended as the supreme commander of Minbari forces and Shakiri was quietly furious. He had to admit the old priest was good and certainly knew how to motivate his followers, but he was no warrior. He didn't have the ruthless edge a true born warrior possessed.

Today he would demonstrate it. Shakiri had determined to take the remaining ships at his disposal, those that had survived the previous assault and some reinforcements from home, and finish the job while the human fleets were depleted and distracted. He wouldn't be capturing any worlds, simply burning them to the ground. Here, Jericho, and the great prize itself Beta Durani which had eluded the Minbari since the beginning of the war.

On paper it was a good plan, the Council hadn't approved it but they had not forbidden it either. They wouldn't dare refuse him if he returned and threw the remnants of the Earth border worlds at their feet. Branmer may still be their darling but Shakiri would not allow himself to be overshadowed, and he absolutely would not let his humiliation stand.

His fleet arrived in good order, despite being a mixture of old and new units they had integrated well performing admirably. Each unit knew its place, assumed the correct position and formation, each of them waiting patiently for orders. Shakiri was prideful but not as foolish as many of his peers, he kept his distance and deployed scout ships to make sure he wasn't walking into a trap. He'd learned a hard lesson and to his credit had adjusted his tactics to compensate.

His problem was that Earth had adjusted it's strategy too. It had also anticipated the possibility that someone may seek to exploit the apparent weakness of drawing its best units back to defend the homeworld.

“Scouts are reporting back Alyt.”

Shakiri still winced at the title, it had honour but he had started getting used to being named Shai Alyt.

“What do they see?”

“Multiple enemy ships, nearly three hundred.”

“Three hundred?” The Minbari leader spat. “How? There should be no more than a handful!”

“I'm bringing them up on the display.” His aide paused, “And Alyt, I am receiving communications.”

“I have nothing to say to humans.”

“It is not a human.”

*

“Minbari Fleet, I am Supreme Warmaster Dar'sen of the Imperial First Strike Fleet. I am joined by Warleader Stro'kath of the Drazi, and Warleader G'Sten of the Narn. This frontier is under our protection, you will turn around and leave immediately. If you do so we will not follow, you may go in peace. If you do not we will defend this civilian colony with all deliberate force.”

He let the words linger for a while before delivering his second punch.

“If you force us to engage, then it will be considered an act of war against our respective nations and we will throw our full might behind the Earth Alliance. Consider carefully your next choices.”

He gave a short nod to the communications officer who ended the transmission.

“Now we get to take bets on whether he's going to open up three more fronts in this war.”

“No one can be that foolish or arrogant.” Battle Captain Fiy'jash spoke up, following her comments with a wince. “Can they?”

“It is fortunate you are not a gambler Captain.” The old commander smiled. “We'll find out.”

Much as he may not want to display it Dar'sen was really enjoying himself. He had been one of the driving powers of the new Dilgar and the society they were trying to form. While the Emperor ruled his failing health meant it was Dar'sen as Supreme Warmaster who was entrusted with the nation. It was not something that left him much time for anything else, and while rewarding he was still a warrior at heart.

Getting back in the fight wasn't something he expected, but when the opportunity arose he wasn't going to ignore it. Strictly speaking Dal'shan should be here commanding this fleet, but as it also contained Narn and Drazi elements he'd been able to justify his presence as a diplomatic necessity. At least until after it was proven all three alien fleets could work together.

That it gave him a chance to command a combined fleet in full scale battle was a bonus. Especially as he could finally join battle with Stro'kath once again, but this time as allies.

“Dilgar Warmaster.” A gruff voice responded curtly over the tachyon link. “This is not your concern, leave the area and do not impede our retribution. This war is just, do not involve yourselves.”

“Minbari Commander, this war is not just. We will not allow civilians to...”

“He shut it down.” Fiy'jash sighed in disappointment.

“Bet you're glad you didn't put any money on it.” Dar'sen smiled, secretly very pleased that he could indulge himself once more. “Launch fighters, power main weapons, standby to advance.”

“Signal from allied forces.” His Captain lined up. “Shall I patch them both through?”

“Please do.”

The main screen aboard his flagship shifted from a tactical display to show both his nearby allies, the gruff Narn G'Sten and equally grouchy Stro'kath appearing.

“Gentlemen, it seems we will be tested. Status?”

“Blue Fleet is ready.” G'Sten returned with complete confidence. “We have fighters deployed and energy mines ready.”

“Most of your ships are quite new and your crews untested, the Minbari are a stern test for a first battle.” Dar'sen commented.

“The G'Quan class is named for one of our greatest leaders, it will not fail to live up to its name.” The Warleader promised. “With the sensors you provided we can engage the Minbari directly. We will do our part.”

“And how about you old friend?” He addressed Stro'kath. “The Minbari are formidable.”

“I've spent a decade chasing raiders and sitting in an office beating politicians. I yearn for a formidable enemy.” The old Drazi grinned wide. “These arrogant fools will do for now, their formations might have been devised by a child but their ships seem tough enough. It'll be a good victory.”

“I will be glad to join both of you in battle.” Dar'sen nodded. “You each know the strategy, deploy as you see fit and engage on my command.”

“As you wish Warmaster.” G'Sten confirmed compliance and ended the signal.

“You're going to enjoy this as much as I am aren't you?” The Drazi chuckled. “You can't deny it.”

“I can't deny it.” Dar'sen laughed. “A bottle of the best Brivari to whoever kills the Minbari flagship.”

“It's already mine.” Stro'kath slapped his hands together and turned to his crew. “Engines to full! Deploy by flotilla and let the devil take the slowest!”

“Good hunting you old lizard.” Dar'sen felt his own enthusiasm building as his allies embraced the battle.

“Break many skulls old Lion.” Stro'kath laughed. “Death or glory!”

The screen cut out as the Drazi made their move, the Narn not far behind.

“Time for us to get moving too Captain.” Dar'sen settled down, calming and composing himself for the task ahead. “Ready long range fire, my compliments to G'Sten, launch energy mines when ready.”

*

The three different fleets had never operated before, training had been scheduled but given how rapidly events had progressed it hadn't happened. Beside some strategy meetings with senior officers the three groups remained largely strangers. The Dilgar and Drazi had some familiarity with each other as enemies in combat, but the Narn were something of a mystery. The next hour or so was going to be fascinating for Dar'sen.

“Fighters clear.” Fiy'jash reported. “I'm reading clean locks from the main batteries. Targeting Minbari capital ships.”

“Any idea which one is in command?”

“No Warmaster, I was unable to trace the source of their communication.”

“No matter, we'll just have to remove them all.”

His Captain continued her work, the younger sister of Warmaster An'jash who had long served as Jha'dur's Battle Captain Dar'sen was content to see careful management and multi tasking ran in the family.

“Narn ships are preparing energy mines for long range disruption fire.”

“Let them fire first.” Dar'sen ordered. “Then follow up with the spinal lasers.”

The Narn Blue Fleet was a potent force, one of three major formations in the regime and possessing an eclectic mix of warships. Their best units were the G'Quan class heavy cruisers, sleek and decorated in an eye catching red and green splinter scheme they seemed a world away from the sluggish double hulled T'Loth cruisers that still formed much of the Narn Navy.

They were a fleet in transition, beside the G'Quan class were several smaller frigate groups also wearing the same bright colours representing newer units, but the bulk of the force still had plainer grey and green heavy hulled ships dating back to the years after liberation. Their fighter swarms also showed a mix of the newer Frazi heavy fighters and older Gorith medium fighters.

Against the Minbari alone they probably had less chance than the humans. By this point Earth had edged ahead of the Narn in technology with the latest Hyperion class ships matching the new Q'Quans, and with Omega and Nova class ships unrivalled among the Narn fleet. While they lacked the toughness of their EA counterparts the Narn did have a respectable turn of speed and still mounted a decent selection of weapons, particularly heavy laser weapons beside the rightly feared energy mines.

The lead group of Narn cruisers loaded their bays, lined up, and fired their mines from extreme range. This far out the chances of a hit were minimal but that wasn't really the point. Narn strategy favoured using energy mines as area denial weapons to detonate at a set point rather than trying for a direct hit as Earth preferred.

The mines began to detonate in loose sequence ahead of the Minbari like an artillery barrage, the Minbari ships not wasting time intercepting shots that were no danger to them. It did force them to alter course slightly and more importantly to redirect their fighter units around the detonating projectiles.

“Minbari are shifting course but still advancing, they don't seem to be considering the Narn a serious threat.” Fiy'jash reported. “They are still considering us the main opponent.”

“Exactly as expected.” Dar'sen nodded. “Let's help keep him looking this way. Commence long range fire.”

Each of the several Dilgar capital ships carried three ship length spinal lasers copied from stolen Hyach technology acquired during the war. They had a clear range advantage over the Minbari and each gun had approximately double the firepower of the largest Minbari Neutron cannon. When the fleet began engaging it at once marked itself as the clear priority target.

The high powered weapons carved neatly into the Minbari heavy ships, cutting into the heavy armour and leaving deep glowing gullies behind. In several places they triggered secondary explosions where they touched fuel, capacitors or munitions dumping flame and burning debris into the void. Ships began to drop back as their power systems and drives gave way, the Dilgar focusing on the core of Sharlins.

“Now let's see what he does.” Dar'sen leaned forward in clear anticipation. “If he loosens formation the Drazi will swarm him. If he stays tight the Narn can saturate his formation with energy mines. If he goes half way between the two and splits into task groups we can take them out one by one with superior local firepower.”

“Combined arms tactics.” Fiy'jash recognised. “Something we couldn't manage before.”

“I learned it from our enemies during the war. Drazi ships alone were dangerous but we had effective counter tactics. But when the Drazi united with Earth Force any formation we used against them left us vulnerable to the other fleet, and vice versa.”

“Combine the technology and expertise of several distinct groups and forge a single unstoppable fleet.” The Captain nodded. “Exactly what Earth Alliance did to us.”

“It's almost impossible to defend against. The only logical choice is to withdraw.”

*

“Continue the attack!”

Shakiri was not going to allow the last pride of the Warrior caste to falter yet again. If he was beaten twice in the same system on the same battlefield his chance of future success would be zero. His ambitions and dreams for future promotion burned up and thrown to the winds.

“Alyt, the enemy is moving to surround us.” His second warned with obvious concern. “Drazi wolfpacks are forming up, the Narn are ready to engage at closer range, and we cannot answer the firepower of the new Dilgar ships.”

“We cannot retreat, not again!” Shakiri snarled. “Detach our frigates and corvettes, send them at high speed to the Dilgar.”

“Alyt?”

“Our faster light ships can avoid their spinal guns and deliver fire to their big ships. While they do that we will deploy fighters against the Drazi, their ships are small and weak, our craft can disable them.”

“And the Narn?”

“We'll finish them after the Dilgar. Keep us in wall formation and accelerate.”

His officers obeyed, for that is all they could do. The core fleet moved faster and continued to advance straight for the Dilgar. As they did so his flanking escorts broke free and moved up rapidly aiming to get in among the Dilgar ships, the graceful blue hulls showing damage in several places but still bravely charging the Dilgar guns.

They executed the orders with precision and courage, but no matter how impressive to watch it was still a critical mistake.

*

“I did not expect that.” Dar'sen allowed. “He's certainly an unpredictable commander.”

“He split his forces.” Captain Fiy'jash wasn't really able to process what she was witnessing. “He split them. In a battle where flexibility and combined arms is key, he divided his fleet.”

“And now we can just eliminate each group without worrying about the others.” Dar'sen exhaled heavily. “Is this really all the Minbari have to offer us?”

“Perhaps next time you'll face Branmer?”

“Only if I can wrestle Jha'dur to the ground and beat her to the punch!” He laughed. “She wants to meet him too, you should see her speak his praises, not often she seems to genuinely relish something anymore. Still,” he focused on the displays again, “better finish what we started. Deploy Drazi groups on the escorts, energy mines on the fighters, then we'll go handle the heavy ships.”

Every part of a fleet had it's strengths and its weaknesses, a good commander made sure each weakness was protected by someone else’s strength. The best commanders knew when to risk those weaknesses for the chance of success, but Shakiri was not such a man. His strategy wasn't bad in theory, but against an enemy that had effective counters to any tactic he could deploy along with the training and numbers to execute it effectively, he was out of his depth.

The combined fleet responded, its components making their move but unlike the Minbari continued to offer support to each other. The Drazi were unleashed, small agile warships racing to be the first into combat, Stro'kath staying close but remaining wise enough to not put himself directly into harms way. The old warrior was too clever to give into his rage and battle lust, the first wave was a place for the young and eager not for someone tasked with coordinating the entire group. All too often Drazi leaders had sought to lead from the front, a noble goal but one enemies like the Dilgar had exploited mercilessly.

They swept in from the flanks and rear using their superior speed and agility to engage the Minbari escorts from favourable positions. While the bigger Sharlins had excellent weapons coverage the smaller Minbari ships were less able, and with the Drazi handily outmanouevring them they were immediately in trouble.

The first few waves of Drazi ships still suffered as they drew fire, even the relatively light weapons of the smaller Minbari ships carving up Sunhawks like butter, but in so doing left their flanks open to follow up attacks.

A mix of particle weapons and missiles bit into the Minbari attack group, the formation beginning to dissolve as Drazi ships weaved in and out of their enemies getting as close as possible to make hitting them all the more difficult. It was a tactic Stro'kath had personally devised to battle the Minbari in the days before they had beaten their stealth systems, it was still useful today.

Shakiri had already deployed his airwings, hundreds of fighters racing to intercept the Drazi ships and begin picking them apart. They represented a serious threat, Drazi point defences were unimpressive and their ships so lightly built a fighter squadron could often break one in a single pass. Minbari Nials were still extremely potent even without their stealth, the few Drazi fighters present would present no real challenge.

The challenge instead came from the Narn who had by now altered position and were lining up for their next energy mine salvo. Under Narn doctrine the prefered targets for mines were fighter squadrons and flotillas of fast attack ships, by sending his craft forward outside the protection of his warship's interception fire they were little more than a swarm of targets.

With obvious satisfaction G'Sten line dup his firing solutions, Shakiri woefully underestimating both the skill and potency of the new Narn fleet. They deployed a wave of mines ignoring the Minbari heavy ships that were primed to meet them and instead enveloping the inbound Minbari squadrons from the side. They were so focused on the Drazi most never even saw it coming.

The detonations would have had minimal effect on a warship, at least not at as area effect weapons, but against fighters they were absolutely lethal. Most were caught in the well timed detonations, the Narn gunners proving their mastery of this particular weapon and their reason for embracing it so wholeheartedly. Behind the mines flew the bulk of the Narn fighter strength, the simple but effective craft wading in to engage whatever units had escaped the mines.

The mainline Frazi fighter didn't have the agility or resilience of a Starfury but it did carry significant firepower and they arrived in large numbers. The fighter duel erupted with the Drazi airwings offering what help they could. With the Minbari escorts fighting a losing battle against the Sunhawks and other attack cruisers it left only the heart of the Minbari fleet.

Stripped of escorts and fighters they were weakened, but these were still Sharlin and Tigara cruisers with all the power that implied. Individually they were still a match for any Narn or Dilgar ship, only Dar'sen's dreadnought potentially having the power to overmatch a Sharlin. Once again though the best ships were useless without commanders equal to the task.

“Move forward.” Dar'sen ordered. “Fire at will, take us into standard weapons range.”

“Yes Warmaster, fleet responding.”

As one the Dilgar fleet stretched forward, the lone dreadnought and several battleships ably supported by assorted frigates and destroyers. Prominent among them were the Sekhmet cruisers, once rarities among the fleet but today the backbone of the Navy. Each Dilgar ship was built from the best tech of the League forced together by Dilgar scientists. Hyach lasers, Abbai shields, Brakiri gravitic propulsion all supported by fighters derived from the best human and Cascan principles.

“Strengthen forward shields.”

“Diverting power.”

“Release fighters, have them engage Minbari weapons as a priority, drive systems after that.”

The two sides began exchanging fire more heavily, the standard Dilgar cruisers entering range of their conventional weapons. Long red traces of laser fire were punctuated by energy pulses, the Minbari responding with raking beams of Neutrons. The shields helped, but Minbari firepower was still all but unmatched and warships began to falter, a pair of cruisers near the flagships exploding one after another.

Across this exchange the Dilgar fighters made their sweep looking to engage the weapon emplacements on the enemy cruisers. It was a dangerous task, Minbari defensive weapons lighting up the sky and claiming multiple craft as they fired missiles and bolter shots into anything that looked fragile.

They only made one pass, enough to make the Minbari target them, to focus their point defences on the squadrons that rushed through their formation. Dar'sen wanted them to do exactly that, he wanted them in wall formation to take on the Dilgar fleet, he wanted them focused inward on the Thorun Dart fighters. He wanted them to not be looking at the Narn.

“Compliments to Warleader G'Sten.” The Dilgar Supreme Warmaster played his final cards. “Burn them.”

After gutting the Minbari fighters the Narn had reloaded, the range had closed, and the Minbari still ignorant of their true threat had lost focus on them. A good commander would have delegated, would have assigned a subordinate to watch all aspects of the battle and monitor where each enemy was. Shakiri was not a good commander, his theory of war was sound but this was no lecture or exercise. He had been too focused on the Dilgar and their formidable ships at the cost of watching his other units.

The energy mines this time were tightly clustered and hit the Minbari battle formation hard. Several made contact with the hulls of the flanking ships releasing their antimatter payload directly into the target with cataclysmic results. Others detonated close enough to fry sensors, melt exposed gun barrels or in many cases disintegrate the thin barely armoured drive fins the Minbari relied on for propulsion. The destruction of the drive systems in particular was a unique disadvantage to the Minbari and one happily exploited by Dar'sen.

“Enemy formation breaking, they're losing their concentration.” Fiy'jash noted clinically performing her task without emotion despite the glory of this unfolding victory.

“Now we end it. All available units concentrate fire on the Minbari core fleet.”

This was the final act, the dart fighters flipped around and came back for more close passes. The Narn warships engaged with their laser and pulse weapons, the Dilgar changing course to unmask flanking batteries and pepper the beleaguered Minbari with a storm of pulse fire. Even worse the Drazi emerged from behind the Dilgar, Stro'kath expertly disengaging his ships from the by now shattered Minbari escorts to finish the grand prize of the heavy cruisers.

The final concentration was irresistible, the timing perfect, the balance of forces working together a marvel. There was room for improvement and scores of allied ships had been shot out of the sky defending this human world, but they had dominated this fight from the beginning. With three of the greatest fleet commanders alive fighting side by side to the best of their abilities it would have been hard to lose.

“Regroup the fleet, pull us back!” Shakiri yelled in an increasingly desperate voice.

“Alyt, we are surrounded! We cannot regroup!”

“Break us out then!”

“We can't, we don't have the strength!” His second yelled back, the holographic curtain display filled with nothing but enemy units and collapsing Minbari ships. “We can't form jump points, if we do they'll smash us while we try to run!”

“Where is our support?”

“Gone, dead, disabled! It's just us!”

“Then... then...” Shakiri pounded his brain, grilled it for any trick, any tactic he had read. Retreat under assault, rapid disengagement, leapfrog by flotilla, emergency jump. None of them were going to work and each second cost him more and more power. It was impossible to halt, he had failed. But he still had one option.

“Signal our surrender.”

For what seemed like an hour nobody around him moved. They all just stared.

“I said issue our surrender!” He shouted more loudly. “I will not die here! Surrender!”

“Y-yes Alyt.” His second accepted. “All ships cease fire, the Minbari fleet declares it's surrender.”

Shakiri couldn't even look at his fellow warriors, their stares burning into him like torches. The gunfire ended, the enemy moving to deploy a corden around them. The Minbari fleet had never given up the fight before, pride and honour would never permit it. Yet Shakiri simply did not want to die, and next to that he could live with the shame. At least he would still be alive to deal with it.

*

“This close!” Stro'kath bellowed over the view screen. “Ten more seconds! Five! I had his flagship locked! He was mine for the killing!”

“Sorry old friend, but we are fighting on behalf of the humans by their rules. If they surrender we must accept.” Dar'sen shrugged apologetically.

“Five more seconds!”

“If it helps you feel better why don't you go aboard and actually receive his surrender?”

“Fine!” The Drazi grunted. “But I'm going to beat that coward so hard his grandchildren will be pissing blood!”

“Just remember to use the gold knuckle duster, he is a fleet commander afterall.”

“We'll finish our bet next time Warmaster, first one to kill a flagship will take the Brivari!”

“I look forward to it.”

The Drazi cut the signal and set about his business leaving G'Sten to talk.

“It was a fine test of our new ships, and a clear victory. The Kha'ri will be celebrating.”

“It was well earned, the Minbari underestimated you and paid dearly for it.” Dar'sen nodded. “Will you be continuing the fight?”

“Most likely, the Kha'ri will wish to follow up on this victory. And you Warmaster?”

“I have duties at home, I'll turn this fleet back over to Warmaster Dal'shan. You will find him just as capable.”

“I look forward to serving with him, and it has been an honour to serve with you.”

“Likewise Warleader, give my best to G'Kar.”

The screen reverted back to its usual tactical readouts, this time showing a very different battlefield.

“Barely a challenge.” The old Warmaster sighed. “How did we do?”

“Sixteen percent casualties. About thirty for the Drazi, less than five percent for the Narn.”

“Better than I expected.” Dar'sen pondered the outcome. “No surprise the Drazi took the most damage, they are still far too eager to rush in.”

“So it appears Warmaster.” Fiy'jash looked through the data. “Has anyone ever captured a Minbari ship before?”

“Only small craft, freighters, a corvette I think somewhere. Never a Warcruiser, never several warcruisers.” Dar'sen smiled. “As war prizes go I don't think you'll find anyone to top this.”

“We also captured a senior Minbari commander. Assuming the Drazi don't beat him to death.”

“We'll turn him over to the humans after our telepaths have given him a thorough debriefing.” The Warmaster decided. “The captured warships we'll divide among our four governments. I expect Earth will be greatly appreciative.”

“Our own scientists are going to drool on their uniforms.” Fiy'jash smiled at the thought. “If we can replicate Minbari armour...”

“And their Neutron weapons.” Dar'sen added. “Either way this is an excellent bounty. We will secure the ships, give the prisoners to Earth. Tell our Marines to be gracious about it but careful, some may not wish to surrender.”

“Yes Warmaster.”

“Communicate our success back to command, and be prepared.”

“For what sir?”

“Jha'dur is going to be furious she wasn't part of taking a Minbari fleet.”

Earth

Geneva

“According to the initial assessment we should have three Sharlin Warcruisers by the end of the week.” President Levy smiled. “They've taken some damage but are mostly operational. Beside that we have several Attack Cruisers, frigates, corvettes and fighters. Quite the haul.”

“Most impressive Madam President, I am genuinely happy for you.” Ambassador Londo Mollari opened a sharp toothed grin. “Truly a remarkable victory.”

“The victory here belongs to our allies, but it is another piece of good news. Between holding the Line above Earth and defending our border it's been a momentous week.” The President related. “Though also a costly one.”

She wasn't exaggerating, the fleet had taken about sixty percent losses with some parts almost completely destroyed. Their comfort was not only in successfully defending Earth, but also that the Minbari fleet had taken an even larger percentage of casualties.

“I would not have expected anyone could turn back a full scale assault by the Minbari.” Londo folded his eyebrows as he mulled over the information. “We have seen them enraged and it is a terrible sight. We did not expect your people to survive.”

“I appreciate your honesty Ambassador, and yet here we are.”

“Here you are.”

Both sides took a little moment of silence. Whatever Londo's personal views on humanity which had appeared to be quite positive his superiors in the Centaurum had clearly written off Earth early in the war. The sudden turnaround appeared to have caught them completely by surprise and left them at a disadvantage.

“The Senate has considered your previous offer Ambassador.” Levy continued. “The exchange of technology, our Earth made advanced sensor technology in exchange for examples of Centauri gravity systems.”

“A fair deal I would say Madam President. Artificial gravity will make all of your ships vastly more efficient and capable, especially your military vessels.”

“And our sensor tech keeps you in the game. Not just against the Minbari, I hear the Centauri have been experimenting in holographic manipulation. Starship scale chameleon nets, that sort of thing.” Levy noted. “That's the sort of thing this sensor tech could also interfere with.”

“You are not wrong Madam President, indeed you are quite well informed.” Londo modulated his response, he was far too good at this to display any sort of surprise or consternation. “And you are right, it is of particular benefit to us also.”

“Then we can conclude a deal Mr Ambassador.” The President nodded. “My trade people will handle the fine details, I am sure we would both appreciate seeing this happen sooner rather than later.”

“We would.” Londo smiled again. “The Emperor also wished me to convey his personal respects and his relief that our friends from Earth are proving so resourceful.”

“The Emperor is too kind.”

“He has a fondness for you I think, he remembers well the day our nations made contact, little did we know how influential you would become.”

“If you had known perhaps you may not have been so welcoming to us?”

“I don't think there was any danger of that Madam President, Earth is very different to the Narn for example. Far more civilised.”

“Yet despite that the Narn sold us weapons, sent ships to defend our worlds.” Levy observed. “Many have died for us, some took great risks trying to negotiate an end to this war.”

“Yes, well.” Londo did not meet the President's eyes. “The Centauri are pleased you are progressing, but we ask you to be wary of the Narn. They are not helping you out of the goodness of their hearts.”

“Of course they aren't, neither are the Dilgar.” Levy dismissed. “The Drazi maybe, their leader is a man of old fashioned honour, but we are well aware the Dilgar and Narn want something from us.”

“Good, good, I would hate to think you were blind to their machinations.”

“Of course, plots aside, they have helped us immeasurably. They have earned much goodwill Ambassador, at this point they could ask for virtually anything and it would pass the Senate.” Levy measured Londo's reaction very carefully. “Representative G'Kar has already floated the idea of a formal Alliance, one that would include mutual defence and assistance in war.”

“Yes, well, it does not surprise me.” Londo knew he was treading on very thin ice. “The Narn have made no secret in their efforts to unite worlds against us.”

“They seem to be doing very well Ambassador.”

“I will admit they did chose wisely in this conflict. Even though it was for selfish reasons they have helped you. It is to our everlasting shame that we, th eLion of th eGalaxy, failed to be good friends to our human neighbours.”

“Nice words Ambassador, but words don't arm our ships or send fleets to help us.”

“I believe that the Centaurum today would be willing to send assistance.” Londo proposed. “Once our ships have the new sensor upgrades so they may effectively battle Minbari alongside you.”

“An excellent offer Ambassador, but at this point we don't need them. Please pass on my thanks to your Government, but we can handle this ourselves with our true friends.”

“Madam President, it wounds me that you do not consider us true friends.”

“There's an old human saying, if the shoe fits...”

“I am not so familiar with human sayings I am afraid Madam President, I have immersed myself in your culture but there are only so many hours in the day!” He grinned widely. “But perhaps there are other aspects of human culture I do understand. For instance, playing one man off against another?”

“We are long beyond that point Ambassador. We can trade for Artificial Gravity from the Dilgar if we must in exchange for broad trade agreements, they would tear our hands off for such a deal.”

“Yes, I have heard the Dilgar do such things in negotiations. Just rumours.” Londo apparently failed to spot the metaphor. “But I am not here completely empty handed. We recognise the situation Madam President, that the balance of power is tipping. It is the wish of the Centaurum to restore that balance.”

“How so?”

“It is better if Earth remains neutral regarding the situation between the Narn and my people. If you aligned against us it would create tension, encourage the Narn to do something rash. That would be, as you say, a bad thing.”

“A threat Ambassador?”

“Absolutely not, I would not threaten a world that just drove off a Minbari invasion!” Londo laughed. “No, no, not at all. But it does reflect a probable outcome. The Minbari are powerful but largely amateurs. The Centauri Navy is both large and very well trained. We would have course never use it against our friends, and Earth is our friend.”

“Is that so.”

“And friends help each other, yes?”

“We have agreed to swap sensors for...”

“What if Madam President,” Londo interrupted, “what if I had something else? Something more important? Something we would offer to help maintain balance and peace?”

“If you want us to cool relations with the Narn this offer had better be the greatest deal in history.”

“I cannot guarantee that, but I can say it will probably win you this war.”

That caught her attention.

“What are you offering Ambassador?”

“The one thing you don't have, that nobody beside us has.” He smiled. “Information.”

From his pocket Londo produced a data crystal and placed it on the President's desk.

“My people have traded with the Minbari for many generations. Our trade has tended to be fairly light but consistent. We have sent Ambassadors, traders, spies, people who have told us many things over the years.”

“For instance?”

“The location of every Minbari planet including their homeworld?” Londo remarked. “Which worlds have orbital defences, ship yards, logistics hubs. The location of restricted zones that are part of their military infrastructure, clan headquarters, their holding locations for mothballed ships? That sort of thing.”

Levy looked very intently at the crystal.

“And the price for this?”

“A treaty of peaceful neutrality with both us and the Narn.” Londo suggested. “By all means offer the Narn your friendship and support in a war, but offer us the same thing. That way if, one sad day, we and the Narn go to war you would be obliged to maintain neutrality.”

“But only in the event of a Narn and Centauri war?”

“Yes, we can handle the others ourselves.” Londo nodded. “In exchange, this information can save millions of lives. Perhaps more.”

She picked up the crystal.

“We are doing well for ourselves so far. Our losses can be replaced, we are on the brink of launching a full scale invasion of Minbari space.”

“Don't underestimate them Madam President. They have been in this position before, their fleets smashed and worlds under attack. They united behind a charismatic leader and struck back even harder. Branmer is a talented leader, and the Minbari shipyards are still intact and mobilising. Without that data it will take you months, maybe years to find and hit the key Minbari centres of industry. By the time you do you will find a thousand warcruisers waiting for you.”

Londo tilted his head.

“But with that, you can attack them immediately and stop the Minbari from gathering their forces and turning their full might against you. I think Madam President, that is worth more than a few weapons and a detachment of warships.”

“I'd like to speak to my cabinet.”

“Of course, keep the crystal, it is encoded.” Londo nodded. “Even your vaunted code breakers would take years to access it, but if you agree to our treaty of friendship, we will send you the cipher.”

“Alright Ambassador, stay nearby, we'll speak in a few hours.”

“Of course Madam President.” Londo stood. “We look forward to once again embracing our true friends from Earth.”

Proxima Three

Orbital shipyards.

Everything was busy, between new construction, repairs, refits and resupply Proxima was filled with warships of all kinds. The various grids of metal, girders and space stations represented the heart of human ship building, the massive array of yards having long since overtaken Earth and Mars as the primary ship building nexus of the Alliance. Its central location and proximity to a major source of Quantium 40 for FTL drives guaranteed it, and the fact Proxima was the last stop before Earth on the only safe jump route in made the system exceptionally well defended.

The war had not touched Proxima yet, the battles having bypassed it's ranks of space stations and satellite based cannons leaving it free to focus on the task of building warships.

“Looks like half the Navy is here.”

Sheridan peered out from under the canopy of the shuttle as the craft drifted between the grey steel forest of yards and beacons, the glimmer of automated welders and construction teams surrounding skeletal new battleships. Most appeared to be Omega class ships that had been commissioned in the first days of the war and were still some months from completion, elsewhere smaller batches of different ships were closer to completion and being rushed out for the next stage of the conflict.

The main attraction for Sheridan was the fleet taking on supplies and undergoing last minute repairs. These were ships that had survived the Line in good enough condition to deploy back to the front, a few hundred vessels of various types that would be reinforced by stripping garrisons from some of the larger colonies and deploying the next wave of recalled crews and reactivated mothballed ships.

It would be a rough formation but under Admiral Hamato there was no doubt it would be combat ready in two weeks. That was the schedule the Joint Chiefs had decided, at the end of that time the fleet would launch a full scale invasion supported by Narn, Drazi and Dilgar warfleets. With the Minbari fleet gutted and the Earth fleet hugely reinforced with allied fleets it was expected to be a swift and one sided assault.

None of the veteran officers believed it would be anything like that easy but if Earth wanted to win it had to take the war to the Minbari. So far there had still been no word of a change and Earth could not afford to wait.

The shuttle curved around to dock at Proxima Prime, the main station in the system where most of the Naval efforts were concentrated. There were already several large vessels close by including a fresh unit of brand new Omega class destroyers hanging beside the station, their central sections slowly rotating in perfect unison.

Far more interesting to Sheridan though were three titanic Explorer class ships beyond them, still relatively new the huge spindly ships were designed to push the boundaries of explored space, building new jump gates and beacons to expand human influence. They also tended to carry vast amounts of materials, pre-fab bases and even small space stations to aid their missions of expansion. Some could also carry full sized survey ships in their vast maw like hanger bays if required.

To see one such ship was rare, to see three was almost unheard of. Only a handful had been completed before the war and most were still so far beyond Earth space they had not yet returned. These particular three appeared to be undergoing their own refits, their usual cargo of base building materials and jump gate components replaced for fuel storage tanks and munitions containers.

The shuttle was cleared through without delay and docked quickly enough, Sheridan was led without a moment to gather himself directly to one of the conference rooms to find it already busy with about two dozen officers. Some he recognised, others he didn't, but central among them was Admiral Hamato working out some details with his subordinates.

“They called you in too hey Swamp Rat?”

Sheridan turned to locate the voice finding himself nose to nose with Jack Maynard, the grinning man offering him a hearty bear hug.

“Glad to see you ain't dead.”

“Likewise Stinky...I mean Captain.” Sheridan restrained himself, aware of the assorted command rank staff around him.

“Yeah, yeah, guess we better save the lively chat for whatever passes for a bar up here.” His old friend scratched his bearded chin. “But it is good to see you, made a name for yourself.”

“Heard you had some fun out near Beta Durani too.” Sheridan grinned. “Busy war.”

“Very busy.” His former commanding officer related. “But we're still kicking.”

“That we are.” Sheridan looked around. “Any word on this?”

“New commands, heard we're getting an upgrade.”

“That so?”

“Well I did, the Cortez, one of the big Explorers outside.”

“You've been gunning for one of them since they started building them.”

“Wish it was under better circumstances. How about you, oh, hey, well done on making Captain.”

“Thanks, I'm happy with the Agamemnon but we took a beating on the Line. She'll be down for at least three months.”

“I guess they need you out there with or without her.”

“Attention on deck!” One of the officers near Hamato called out bringing silence to the various conversations

“Glad you all could make it.” The grey haired Admiral began to speak. “Some of you know each other, for others this is a first meeting. Each man and woman in this room is here because you have demonstrated resourcefulness and courage under exceptional circumstances. You are among the best independent Captains we have available, as such you are being assigned special operations. Captain.”

Hamato stepped aside to allow William Hague to step up, the relatively young Captain already accelerating up the Earth Force rank structure.

“It is with regret I am standing here to deliver this briefing.” He began. “This mission was due to be commanded by Admiral Joe Tennant, I'll do what I can in his place to make it the sort of success we all know he would have achieved.”

He brought up a briefing map.

“Our objective is to commence raiding against Minbari supply lines, transfer points, and any useful targets of industry we can get away with. Our goal is to slow down their operations and give our main offensive better odds of success.”

The map behind him began to filter through various pieces of data, text emerging above several locations.

“We recently acquired valuable intel from the Centauri regarding the disposition of Minbari industry and planets, while this information is old the stagnant nature of the Minbari means all these targets are almost certainly exactly where they were decades ago.”

He shifted more data around.

“We will move into their space and begin operations deep behind enemy lines. Resupply will be impossible therefore we are preparing three Explorer class ships to act as mobile supply bases. We will also be mostly out of contact with home which is why it is imperative the commanders of this operation be able to operate independently and in the most unpredictable circumstances.”

He shifted the map back to an overview.

“You will each have a copy of the data and an area of operations, within that area you are free to pick and choose targets as you see fit, Command trusts your ability to exploit an opportunity when you recognise it. You will also have the best ships we can give you, most of you have already commanded the Omega class and those who haven't are fast learners. I'll assign your individual missions unless there are any immediate questions?”

Nobody spoke.

“Alright, that's all, Admiral.”

Hamato gave a nod.

“This is the first step in our counter attack, understand your assignments, be daring, be bold, you are now the sharp edge of Earth Force against the Minbari. Start slicing them down.”

*

The assorted officers mingled for a while and shared some stories as they were divided into their respective parties. For Sheridan that meant working with two new officers he hadn't met before, and one that he had.

“Mackie!” Sheridan beamed to see his old mentor striding over, the two cementing the greeting with a firm handshake and warm smile.

“Captain Sheridan, has a nice sound to it.” The larger man grinned back Edward MacDougan had been a well decorated commander in the Dilgar War, his tactics on small ship combat had earned him a posting to the Academy afterwards where his lectures were legendary for breaking off into broader discussions on the responsibilities of a Captain. “I hear you're making us old timers look bad out there.”

“Just doing the job you taught me.” He returned graciously. “Between you, Jack Maynard and Bill Hague now I feel like it's someone's retirement party.”

“Yeah, lot of familiar faces. It's good to see so any alive, and hard to think so many did make it this far.”

“They didn't, but we got the job done.”

“We got the job done.” MacDougan echoed sombrely. “And now we have more work to do.”

The big man waved over two additional officers.

“I'm going to be your new commander in the field, our mission is deep range raids into enemy territory Just like Bill Hague outlined. We'll be shouldering most of the burden on this so if you've got any doubts now's the time to speak up.”

“No sir, I'm ready to take the war to the Minbari.”

“Good man. I'll be commanding a nine ship task force divided into three groups of three ships. You are being assigned to group Delta and this will be your immediate superior.”

MacDougan gestured to a small set Indian woman who responded with a polite nod.

“Kaveri Varma.” She introduced herself. Captain. I command the DeSoto, one of the Explorer class you no doubt noticed outside.”

“Pleased to meet you Captain.”

“And this one is Glen McGee, he's going to be commanding the Arethusa alongside you.”

“Happy to meet the man who nuked the Black Star.” A bright eyed man not much older than Sheridan enthused with a clean Canadian twang. “I bet they hate you!”

“So I heard.” He shook hands with a nod.

“You'll be taking the Andromeda, brand new fresh off the blocks.” MacDougan informed. “I know you probably got attached to the Agamemnon but she's out of the fight for a while. We need you back out there Johnny so the Old man brought over your crew and filled the ranks for those who didn't make it.”

“You need us out there that badly?”

“Believe it, we won the last battle but we're stretched mighty thin out there. Our allies are taking some of the strain but we still need to be leading the way.”

Sheridan wasn't entirely thrilled, he'd just about settled into the Agamemnon but there wasn't much else to be done. The Omega class were good ships and his crew had experience with them, it was logical they'd be assigned instead of a crew unfamiliar with the new design.

“We won't let you down.”

“I don't doubt it.” Mackie slapped him on the shoulder with a weighty hand. “Each group is built around one Explorer and two destroyers, all optimised for long range operations. The Explorer will act as a mobile base and supply dock for the Destroyers so you can stay out there for we estimate six months. Maybe more.”

“Normally we can operate independently for over five years.” Varma interjected. “But supporting a combat group will burn through our supplies more quickly, most especially if you are gifted with an abundance of targets.”

“The Explorers will also lead you through hyperspace, they have the most powerful sensor array there is and are designed to skirt the edge of hyperspace. You should be able to avoid detection and lay new jump routes into Minbari space.”

“What if we run into trouble?” McGee asked.

“Explorers are built with minor defensive weapons and a wing of Starfuries.” Varma answered. “We shall have more for this operation as we are swapping out our construction craft for more fighters, but we are not warships. We shall stand at the back of any action, provide to you an overview and real time sensor data for the entire star system, and shall direct you toward targets and threats, but mostly if we are shooting at someone then something somewhere has gone most badly wrong.”

“The Destroyers are going to be doing all the legwork.” MacDougan echoed. “Captain Varma is the eyes and the brain, you two are the blunt weapons.”

“I'll take that as a compliment.” Sheridan chuckled.

“I'll leave your new commander to iron out the rest, it's not going to be an easy one but we've got the best people for the job right here.”

MacDougan made his farewells and joined the next group over which included Jack Maynard, presumably providing command of an Explorer for one of the other groups.

“An Explorer.” Captain McGee offered a respectful nod. “That's a prime assignment, nice work Captain.”

“Thank you.” Varma returned a reserved smile. “I am lucky in having an advanced understanding of Hyperspace physics, exactly what the Explorer Division required.”

“How long have you been out there?” Sheridan asked.

“About five months with the DeSoto, we had barely begun our first voyage when the war began. But before that I commanded a survey ship for a few years. My task here is to use my ship and experience to get your Destroyers into a position to hit Minbari targets and then escape before they have any idea what just happened.”

“What sort of targets are we talking about?”

“Mostly convoys, but we are cleared to engage fixed targets too under the doctrine of calculated risk” Varma explained. “It will be a decision reserved to myself, based on all available data. The DeSoto is being uniquely equipped with additional weapons for this purpose, but I have no intention of taking unnecessary risks.”

“That might be my department.” McGee suggested. “Before the war I was part of a group of Raider Hunters. We went after them with a frigate group, learned their tricks and tactics, where they struck from, how to ambush targets in open space, best ways to strike and fade. Wouldn't be hard to adapt those tricks for our own use.”

“It appears we have the makings of a very troublesome force.” Varma smiled. “We will be more than a nuisance for the Minbari, If we do not take three times our mass in prizes I will be a little disappointed. The more we take, the longer we can exten-"

“Hey Kavalry!”

Kevari looked up sharply, her eyebrows knitting in a flash of annoyance as Captain Maynard walked past with his unit.

“Hello, Captain Maynard.” She forced a smile. “May I offer my congratulations on your new command.”

“Look forward to seeing you out there, take care of old Swamp Rat here!” He waved at Sheridan. “Look forward to seeing who gets the high score out there!”

“It is not really about...”

“We're gonna win!” He grinned. “Good hunting out there!”

There was a pause as Kaveri's mouth was frozen around what she had been going to say before The interruption. “Likewise.” She nodded and audibly exhaled after Maynard was out of earshot. “Everytime that man walks past, I have a headache for the next three days.”

“Kavalry?” Sheridan asked. “You knew him long enough to get a nickname?”

“Yes, it was during the war with the Dilgar. My cruiser was ambushed and destroyed by a rather daring Dilgar frigate while on a mission at the edge of the theatre. I was the only survivor not rescued initially, marooned on what I assume was a former Garmak world, or perhaps a race even older. I was there for months, I missed most of the war and when a ship finally arrived in the system... Guess who was in command?”

“Wait, was it the Cochrane?”Sheridan asked. “An old Artemis class?”

“The same.”

“That was my first posting, Jack was my first Commander, I guess a few years later.”

“I am, of course, eternally grateful to Captain Maynard for recovering me, I was just one shipwrecked soul very far from home, but when he found the debris from my cruiser he continued searching even though it was unlikely he would find anyone so many months later.” Varma related sincerely. “But his command style is… Eccentric, shall we say?”

“No argument here.” Sheridan sifted his own memories.

“It took two months for him to complete his patrol and return me home, at first I was curious. After the fifth round of seeing who could propel themselves farthest on a single can of beans I came to realise I did not really fit in.”

She shrugged.

“He is from a very different world and I found myself infuriated at even minor matters. By the end of the patrol, I could not wait to leave that ship. But, on my way out of the airlock to board Tirrith Station he stopped me and he said as we parted 'May God stand between you and harm in all the empty places where you must walk.' I barely believed it, how could such beautiful words come from a man who took such pride in belching loud enough to be heard through two blast doors?”

“He's definitely a character.” Sheridan smiled. “It's an old Egyptian blessing, I think it came from his own first commanding officer, he shared it with me too.”

“I suppose some thoughts have enough depth to sink into even the most chaotic souls.” Varma smiled slightly. “I look forward to our mission together Captain Sheridan, to survive Jack Maynard with your dignity intact is no small achievement.”

“Next to that I'm sure the Minbari will be nothing.”

Minbari Space

“There is nothing more to say.” Branmer addressed the Council, the overall atmosphere one of unrestrained despondency. “The attack failed in its objective, we are reduced to approximately twenty percent of our pre-war combat strength, and our long range scouts report human, Narn, Drazi and Dilgar fleets massing near Nocalo colony.”

He paused for a response but none was forthcoming so he continued.

“An invasion is inevitable. I have strengthened the garrison on Nocalo and made preparations for harassing raids once the enemy commit their forces.”

“You will not defend Nocalo?” Jenimer finally sounded his voice.

“We have no means to do so. Any ship I deploy there will be lost, we need warships more than we need a border colony.”

“That is a Minbari world you so easily discard.” Morann barely his his fury. “Those are Minbari warriors you abandon on it's soil!”

“They are not abandoned, it is their mission to fight and delay for as long as possible the human conquest of that planet. The longer they fight, the longer we have to regroup.”

The normal round of discussions was notably absent, the usually combative personalities unable to muster much in the way of active debate. Branmer's return had not been a cause of much celebration, the Council already knew from its own scouts the battle had been lost, the gamble had failed.

“The Council will approve Shai Alyt Branmer's strategy.” Jenimer spoke flatly. “We have no choice but...”

“Shai Alyt. You dishonour those words by uttering them in the same room as that man!” Morann spat, Branmer paying him minimal attention. “I demand Sineval be given command! Branmer has led us from failure to failure!”

“Giving Sineval command would throw away what few resources we have left.” Coplann was tired of dealing with the same arguments. “He is even more hot headed than Shakiri, and look what happened there!”

“What happened there?” Neroon spoke up from beside Branmer. “What happened to Shakiri?”

“Alyt Shakiri looked to exploit the weakened human defences by attacking their colonies and transport hubs. He ran into difficulty.”

“His fleet was routed and captured.” Coplann clarified with unbelievable amounts of venom in his words. “He surrendered and was taken alive, many of his ships are now in the hands of our enemies.”

“Did he at least have the presence of mind to destroy our Jammer systems before he handed the ships over?”

“He did not.”

“I see.” Neroon looke dover to Morann. “Any other gifts the Windswords wish to give our enemies?”

“Now is not a time for recriminations.” Branmer intoned. “Our people have faced this situation before, our fleets broken, our worlds invaded, our hope shattered. We returned and stood victorious, we must not lose our faith.”

“Spoken like a priest.” Morann sneered. “A priest who wasted our last full fleet!”

“That would be Shakiri.” Neroon spoke evenly but with barely buried hate. “Twice in fact. If he had not charged headlong into the enemy, twice I note again, we would have had enough ships to reach Earth and decimate their industry. Then take out their shipyards on the way back home.”

“If he had been a warrior he would have...”

“If you question his warrior spirit one more time I will not be restrained.” Neroon said plainly. “I do not care anymore for the sanctity of the council, you have failed the people and I will spill your foolish blood the next time you speak ill of the only man who actually tried to win this war.”

The younger warrior still wore bandages from his wounds on the line, one of his eyes covered with a patch, but there was no question he could still snap Morann like a twig should he wish.

“Your elders squandered our strength, failed to learn from their mistakes, you placed us in a position where we could not win and demanded from Branmer a miracle! A miracle even Valen could not deliver! Then you sneer at him for coming within an inch of doing the impossible! When your own choice for leader is now eating prison food on Beta Durani!”

“Shakiri must have...”

“None of this is going to help our situation.” Branmer did not raise his voice, but it was still enough to enforce silence. There was a very subtle but very clear shift of power taking place as Branmer became more and more active and the Council realised their usual methods were not going to work in this crisis.

“The human secondary fleets will attack soon, the presence of their allies in numbers has allowed them to begin operations with a much smaller force than they would otherwise need. The could be at Nocalo within a week and it will only get worse. Once their main fleets are restored and reinforced they will begin seeking out and engaging far more important planets.”

“Can we stop them?” Delenn asked the relevant question.

“No, we can only slow them down. I have ordered our ship yards focus on producing light ships, frigates and corvettes, to raid human supply lines. These ships are still able to defeat larger Earth ships if required and require less time, resources and crew than a true warcruiser. Indeed I have suspended production of any unit bigger than a Tigara for the next year.”

“You are changing the nature of our fleet?”

“I am. It will be faster, more flexible, less reliant on vessels that used the jammers as their best weapon. A Sharlin is mighty but I have seen them fall in seconds to an Earth Dreadnought broadside. Smaller ships can evade such an attack and still fire back with weapons able to destroy their enemy. A Sharlin is, to quote the humans, overkill.”

“In time we will begin building our heaviest ships again, but for now we must spend our resources wisely.” Neroon added. “We have new designs to also consider, smaller, and cheaper in some cases. Larger and more powerful in others.”

“Crews are the other matter, it is still a month before the next group of retrained personnel will be available.” Branmer informed. “They are enthusiastic but learning to operate a warship takes time and training, I will not commit these forces until I am satisfied they will not be Flarn grazers to the slaughter.”

“And in the meantime we are defenceless?” Coplann asked with trepidation.

“We are not, we have sufficient standing forces to buy us time as required, we simply will not be engaging directly.” Branmer stated. “I have also mobilised the Protectorate.”

“The Protectorate?” Jenimer frowned. “That requires the authority of the Council.”

“You have already given it to me.” Branmer inclined his head. “It needed to be done immediately, I apologise if it is a surprise.”

“The Protectorate are the surviving worlds of our allies in the Great War.” Delenn recalled. “They were virtually destroyed by the Shadows, Valen promised them our protection and eternal friendship.”

“And they returned it.” Branmer nodded. “They have agreed to deploy their forces in this time of our need. Their ships are not so powerful as our main fleets but they are respectable. More importantly they have a core of trained personnel who we can use to fill gaps in our own ranks.”

“You are sending them into battle for us?”

“They are keen to do so, they wish to repay our long protection of their homes.”

“They shouldn't have to!” Coplann snapped. “We are their defenders, does a parent seek the help of his children?”

“When that parent has repeatedly punched himself in the face perhaps he really should.” Neroon shot a sideways glance. “They are already mobilising, we will use them beside our own forces to slow down the humans and later they will stand shoulder to shoulder with us when we strike back.”

“The Protectorate is a large untapped resource, we will use it. We will call upon our allies as Earth has called upon its own and we will be gracious and humble about it.” Branmer dictated. “We do this because we are at the end of our options. We cannot win this alone, indeed we may not win it even with help. I once again say that we need to examine negotiations. The Anla'shok are once again working with the Narn to...”

“The Narn who are currently poised to invade us?” Coplann noted. “I doubt their intentions.”

“The Centauri then?”

“We have detected a large Centauri fleet on our border.” Jenimer informed. “There is a strong possibility they have sensed our weakness and seek to expand at out expense.”

“Emperor Turhan would never take such an aggressive action.” Delenn stated confidently.

“These forces appear to be loyal to House Refa and several of their allies. They are likely operating independently.”

“All the more reason to take decisive action toward peace.” Branmer recommended. “I will prepare for a long war, but I cannot guarantee a victory. Merely endless battle.”

“The time Valen warned us about is approaching, the servants of Darkness will exploit this to their advantage.” Delenn warned. “We must chose our true enemies.”

“And what if the humans are no longer interested in peace?” Moran asked. “What of your dreams then?”

“Then perhaps the darkness is already upon us.”


	17. Chapter 17

17

Nocalo Colony

Earth Minbari border.

The defences here were weak, a frontier world far from danger that was little more than a hopping off point for deep space exploration, something the Minbari barely bothered with. At one point Nocalo had been well defended, it had been the first world invaded by the Garmak several centuries ago triggering the first great Minbari war since Valen, but with the Garmak gone Nocalo had also faded in importance.

It's satellite network was sufficient to scare off Raiders or light warships but had little to intimidate a full fleet of heavy ships of the line. In theory it wouldn't matter, no ship would ever get close to Nocalo thanks to the garrison fleet and border patrols, but after recent events there was no longer a garrison. There wasn't a Minbari warship anywhere within twenty lightyears.

Instead local space now belonged to the enemy. Clusters of human, Dilgar, Narn and Drazi ships cruised through Minbari space casually knocking down the short ranged satellites. While still quite dangerous and well armed with antimatter cannons the satellites didn't have the range to hit the Dilgar and Narn heavy ships which simply sniped them with lasers opening the way for Earth Force to close in and begin bombarding the surface.

The combined efforts of the fleet all built up to a single task, a full scale invasion by human mechanised forces. The first planetary assault since the Battle of Balos at the end of the Dilgar war.

“Hemisphere secure Admiral, defensive positions breached above the primary settlements.”

“Very well.” Hamato scanned the information as it filtered through his command deck, a score of aides and staff officers sifting the data in detail to confirm optimal landing sites and targets. “Still no enemy naval contact?”

“Negative Admiral, nothing on any warning buoys or from the patrols.”

Ultimately that didn't mean much, the Minbari were advanced enough to lurk at the edge of beacon range in hyperspace and evade detection until the last second. The possibility of a raid or ambush was constant and weighed heavy on the Admiral's mind. Landing operations were extremely vulnerable to attack with thousands of personnel essentially trapped with a planet and the gravity well pinning them in place. Even a handful of enemy ships well placed and commanded could wreak havoc amid the troop ships and set the campaign back by months.

“Strengthen the perimeter and increase the number of squadrons on patrol.” Hamato decided. “Then signal Sixth flotilla to begin landing operations.”

“Aye sir.”

The veteran Admiral returned to his thoughts as the fleet responded. He was a very cautious man, his reputation was not that of a risk taker but at the same time he had to be decisive. The planet had to be attacked, the message had to be sent to both friend and foe. The legend of Minbari invincibility had been truly shattered and putting human boots on Minbari ground would cement that.

*

“This is it, pull it together! We've got the go order and this time it's the real deal!”

Alfredo Garibaldi rubbed his hands together with malicious glee, the assorted grunts and troopers of his unit dropping their activities and time wasting to focus on the older Sergeant Major. They had been waiting at the edge of the system under heavy escort waiting for their chance to deploy, for the orders to commence the attack on Nocalo. Every passing hour the tension had grown, the anticipation, often the fear of coming battle, but now the moment had arrived those concerns began to fade and were replaced by an eagerness.

The Earth Force Navy had seen most of the glory so far, and shouldered most of the burden losing over a thousand ships over the five months of combat. The Army had done its part fighting a commando war on the occupied colony worlds before relieving them, but those fights had been mere skirmishes compared to the massive fleets exchanging fire above them.

Today finally the Army would have it's moment. They would be the first humans to walk on Minbari soil and they wouldn't be polite about it. The Minbari were reeling and Earth held the initiative but everyone knew that could change back just as rapidly. They needed to hit the Minbari hard and keep hitting them, keep pushing and fighting, make sure their enemy could never threaten genocide again.

They were not lacking in motivation and whatever fear they had, whatever apprehensions and doubts, all of it was overpowered by the simple truth that they had to win. This was a war of survival, defeat meant extermination for all human beings and with those stakes no one was going to give less than everything. The Navy had bled and triumphed in their battles, now it was their turn.

The deck was already shifting as their assault ship burned for orbit, the Tantalus class ship sharing many components with the Omega including a rotating gravity section. In place of cargo or heavy weapons however it carried thousands of soldiers, their equipment and vehicles. Hades class Assault shuttles waited in expansive hangar bays while atmospheric fighters were loaded into drop pods. Tanks, artillery, gunships and command vehicles were transferred in zero gravity to their transports awaiting deployment in follow up waves. The first attack to go in would be infantry to secure the designated landing zones, and the first of the infantry would be the 99th Airborne Infantry, 101st Division, Earth Alliance North American Command.

The Nine-Nine was an elite unit with an excellent combat record including several major battles against the Dilgar. They were specialists in planetary assaults making them the logical choice to lead this attack, and like a few other specialist units they were equipped with the Infantry Combat Exosuit power armour designed for dealing with Dilgar cybernetic soldiers. This would be it's first true test as a system.

“Gather your things, we had a little taste of battle at Jericho but we were late to that party.” Garibaldi remarked on their previous deployment relieving one of the occupied colonies. By the time they had landed and found a pocket of opposition the battle had been virtually over. Most of the work had been done by the EA Marine Corps, notably the 33rd Batallion which had been bragging about beating the Army ever since.

“This time we're gonna be the first ones down, we get first pick of all those smug bone heads and we get to show the Marines who the real professionals are here! Do not make us look stupid by getting yourself killed!”

It was like being right back at home. Garibaldi had done well as a civilian between the wars settling into private security and investigations, but in his heart this was where he belonged. Somewhere his own son was also in uniform, by now he would have been deployed though not in this operation. Around him were young faces most of them around his boy's age, perhaps younger, and he was going to have to make sure they made it back home. Garibaldi wasn't a young man anymore but he was still as tough as old leather which gave those around him confidence. In the last war he had been a normal soldier among his brothers and sisters, but now he was more like the father of this company. It was a different feeling, a greater responsibility that came with his age and the extra stripes on his shoulder.

“Suit up people, we've got business with the Minbari.”

*

The Sixth Flotilla made its way into low orbit over Nocalo, the shining world below casting the harsh grey Earth ships in stark relief compared to the lush green, blue and white below them. The troop ships held station at a slightly higher altitude while a dreadnought and two cruisers dropped down lower to begin the operation. The three warships rotated to orbit broadside on to the planet, the blocky vessels settling into carefully plotted courses that would take them over several landing zones and targets.

Their role was two fold, firstly to eliminate any obvious military targets and secondly to clear landing zones of natural obstructions like trees or undergrowth. While there were various ways of clearing vegetation Earth force prefered a barrage of plasma cannon rounds which turned most anything to ash and glass but left very little cratering. The Navy called it low impact thermal landscaping while the Army just called it the 'Instant Car Park'. The Dilgar had also adopted this same practice on Jha'dur's instruction, citing it as another example of mankind solving every tiny problem with massive applications of military grade firepower.

Plasma cannons were considered obsolete in naval combat but Earth Force maintained a few older cruisers specifically for orbital bombardment duties armed with a variety of weapons suited for different tasks. While the attached dreadnought would level Minbari bases, communication centres and a few other strategic targets with extreme prejudice the cruisers would directly support the landing forces.

Four separate landing zones had been designated each close to a key target. They were close enough to support each other but far enough away to not be overrun by a determined Minbari counter attack. Their main objective was to isolate and then capture the two big cities in this hemisphere, though big was a relative term. Nocalo was not a huge colony and it's main city only had some thirty thousand people living in it. Still, conquering it would likely yield a treasure trove of technology and intelligence for Earth in addition to its symbolic value.

The vessels moved into position and began their attacks, steady and systematic as they glided high above the surface. The Dreadnought naturally provided the greatest spectacle, a mix of beams and pulse barrages falling from the sky to end in bright flashes. Atmospheric diffusion bled off a lot of energy from the weapons meaning their impacts on the surface were not so impressive as their performance in space, but they did the job.

The batteries of guns on the Dreadnought razed the Warrior Caste buildings and bases in grand style, the intense laser beams igniting the air as they passed through it scattering clouds and wreathing themselves in shimmering heat and flame. The sheer volume of gunfire turned the sky red like a rolling apocalypse shearing through structures, cutting roads and bridges, then flash boiling millions of gallons of water as they scythed through rivers and lakes, then jungles and plains.

It was a ferocious sight and designed precisely to intimidate anyone watching it as much as possible. A Minbari ship with antimatter weapons would have been far more destructive but none of the people on Nocalo had ever seen such a thing for comparison. All they knew of war was the dozens of red beams burning across their land with such destruction and fury as to seem a herald of the end times. The thunderclaps of each shot, the tumult in the sky, the clouds of smoke and shredding of clouds were an experience like nothing else for the civilian population. Earth Force had wanted to send a message and it was received loud and clear on the planet below.

Less theatrical the cruisers set to their work too, Nocalo was a humid world of shallow seas and thick jungles which was going to cause issues for heavy mechanised forces. Minbari grav vehicles had little trouble skimming over the thick jungles but the tracked human vehicles would suffer. To that end Earth Force could have deployed its forces in some of the relatively clear plains where the Minbari cities stood and where the Warriors were waiting, but instead it decided to make its own plains, roads and passageways.

The cruisers started their own carefully plotted bombardments firstly incinerating large patches of forest and jungle to create landing zones and then walking their barrage outwards clearing wide channels through the jungle. These plasma cleared paths were a hundred metres wide and would reach from the deep jungles to the plains and cities twenty or thirty miles away. An instant highway for the tanks and logistics of the human army to travel down free from any ambush by the unprepared Minbari.

It would take time to clear all the paths but with the initial landing zones clear the attack itself could begin. By the time the main force landed the way would be clear and in theory Earth Force would have tanks in the streets of the capital before sunset.

*

“We drop in five minutes!” Garibaldi called out as the unit sealed themselves into their combat gear. “Five minutes! Once we go we won't be back for a while so if you need it make sure it's in your pack right now!”

Everyone knew the routine, how to equip themselves for war, to ensure their kit was operational and ready. They helped each other, made sure their combat armour was sealed and clean before hooking up their heavy PPG rifles. Larger than the slender carbines used by troops deployed to ships and stations the Army issue rifle fired a stronger pulse with a faster recycle rate. With no concern about damaging the inside of a pressurised can floating through space Earth Force ground troops didn't need to restrain themselves like their orne brethren. The rifles could be fired using energy caps the same as any other PPG or could be attached by cable to the power suits own internal power supply giving the rifle virtually unlimited ammunition.

“Take your places, move to the loading bays!” Garibaldi shifted them to the next part of their task. “You know how this works, no mistakes, get on the right shuttle or no amount of ceramic laminate armour is going to save your ass from my boot!”

The platoon hustled past him joining the rest of the brigade as they tramped through the grey metal corridors to their departure stations, a large hangar deck with several Hades class assault shuttles lined up for them. The Hades had the same aerodynamic body as the more familiar Peregrine type atmospheric shuttle but was much larger and sported several turreted pulse cannons for defence and close air support. They could carry a few hundred soldiers if they had to but standard procedure was to deploy a single platoon and support totalling no more than thirty people with the rest of the space devoted to cargo and other support gear. Officially it kept the shuttle light enough to be able to take evasive action on approach, but the unwritten truth was it meant if a bird went down it didn't take too many troopers with it.

Garibaldi counted them through and slapped each one on their metallic shoulder as they ran past him into the shuttle taking their seats. They had more space than regular troops due to their slightly bulkier gear, though not by much. Their armour was angular painted in standard Earth Force olive drab with a few yellow stripes and chevrons indicating their unit and position to other friendly units. Each also had a small degree of customisation, a painted in badge, crest or message offering a sign of pride or a declaration to their enemies. Right now their equipment was still pristine lacking the scratches, scorches and dents of combat. That would soon change.

“Lock in!” Garibaldi dropped the seat restraints pinning each trooper in place for the bumpy descent. They had all experienced a fast de-orbit with several having done so under combat conditions more than once, but it was always a nerve wracking episode. Once he was satisfied the Sergeant Major locked himself down and gave a thumbs up to the shuttle load master.

“Troop compartment secure!” The crewman reported to his pilot. “Closing hatch, ready to go.”

The ramp at the back rolled upward, most of the passengers watching as it closed off their view of the ship, their last look at friendly territory for at least the next few days. Maybe forever.

“Anyone want to get off?” Groller joked darkly before the ramp clicked shut. “Last chance.”

“Gotta get past me first.” Garibaldi glared over. “Easier to face a Minbari Cavalry division, trust me.”

The ramp locked into place leaving them in the dim internal lighting of the shuttle.

“Switch to combat mode.” Captain Fox ordered. “Make sure your datalinks are working and sensors are good. If it needs fixing do it now, not when the plasma starts flying.”

The shuttle jolted as it began to move, transported on a lift out of the troop loading dock and up toward the launch racks passing through the airlocks and up into vacuum. Beside it a dozen other shuttles made ready each laden with their own formidable cargo. Elsewhere in the launch bay fighters also prepared to deploy both Starfuries for the initial escort to orbit and then Banshee atmospheric fighters ready to deploy in their own drop pods to support the landings.

“Position set.” The pilot reported. “Standby for launch.”

The engines glowed into life casting blue light across the wide bay, the armoured doors silently grinding open revealing space beyond. The Starfuries left first deploying to screen the assault force before the countdown ended and the shuttles kicked into motion. The passengers endured the sudden push of acceleration and adjusted, breathing steadily as the shuttles turned sharply and angled for the planet below.

“Launch successful, following flight plan.”

The shuttles carrying the 99th were joined by others from across the fleet, two full divisions of nearly twenty thousand men and women would be landing today in four waves. The first wave was built on four thousand elite heavy infantry in combat suits to establish an initial perimeter for heavier units to follow up and begin the real attack. It was a very dangerous task, while the first wave were all well armed and equipped they'd be facing the potentially the best of the Minbari ground forces with limited support. If it went wrong their chances of survival were slim.

Fortunately Earth had fought this kind of battle frequently and was well prepared for any eventuality. As the shuttles hit the atmosphere the Starfuries peeled away to be replaced by the Banshee drop pods, each diamond shaped container holding a fully fuelled jet fighter ready to go instantly into action once it reached the right altitude.

This was the most vulnerable moment of the landings, none of the craft could manoeuvre until they decelerated and their passage through the atmosphere was marked by the intense heat of friction against the underside of their vehicles. If any ground defences had survived the naval bombardment the assault forces would be easy targets and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

Several salvoes sailed by as the supporting cruisers put a few more rounds of suppressive fire down around the shuttles as a final precaution, pulse rounds slamming into suspicious locations to keep any Minbari defenders in cover. It was only a few seconds but it felt like an eternity before the atmosphere thickened, the heat subsided and the shuttles nosed down and began their landing approach.

Beside them the Banshee fighters also went into action, their drop pods splitting open to release the fully armed and ready fighters directly into action, the squadrons forming up and splitting to perform their assigned tasks. One batch moved away to intercept Minbari aircraft while others stayed close to offer air support for the infantry.

“This is our stop!” Garibaldi announced. “When the ramp drops fan out and hit the dirt! I want a full scan before we move and don't get knocked down by the jet wash! Just embarrassing.”

The Hades shuttle fired its retro thrusters and came into the landing zone smoothly going into a hover a few feet above the surface, engines growling as gun turrets swept for targets.

“Everybody out! Move! Now!”

The soldiers leapt down easily, their exosuits easily handling the fall and carrying the wearers left or right to clear the shuttle. Once everyone was off the loadmaster dumped his remaining cargo and then signalled the pilot to climb. The shuttle open its throttles and pulled up and away with a ripping thunderous roar ready to pick up the next wave of ground pounders.

“First squad sector clear!”

“Second squad sector clear!”

“Red Platoon sector clear.” Garibaldi relayed. “Ready to advance.”

“Red Platoon, dig in on the perimeter.” Captain Fox ordered from the company command post a few hundred metres behind them. “Be advised possible Minbari movement thirty miles to the east. Be prepared for contact.”

“Okay people you heard the lady, grab your gear and get some digging done!”

*

It didn't take long for the unit to create a series of foxholes, their powered suits effortlessly cracking through the glassed top soil and shovelling aside the rich deeper soil beneath. They used their standard entrenching tools, a short space mixed with an axe which was both a useful tool and effective weapon up close. Elsewhere other units were likewise digging in and preparing to meet any Minbari response.

“Get the CPPG here.” Garibaldi directed the massive tripod mounted plasma gun into a suitable position. “I want missiles distributed to all positions, do not waste them! Cooper, you're the marksman, find a good spot.”

“On it Sarge.”

“Keep an eye on your buddies, watch each other's backs.” Garibaldi reminded. “This is the real deal now, those suits are tough but they won't stop a direct hit from a Fusion rifle. Be smart, keep low, and don't worry about ammo. If you see a Minbari shoot until it drops then give it another fifty rounds just to make sure.”

“Perimeter posts, be advised Minbari advanced elements confirmed.” A cool voice informed from a safe distance. “Watch East and standby for support fire.”

“We could have used some electrified razor wire and some claymores.” Cooper grimaced. “Nothing between us and the Minbari.”

“We're Air Assault, we're used to being under equipped, outnumbered and surrounded.” Garibaldi smiled. “No fun otherwise.”

“Red Platoon, I'm setting you up with a direct line to our air support.” Captain Fox cut in over the radio. “We only have one attack run so save it until you really need it.”

“Copy that.”

“I also have mortars ready for sustained fire. If you see something really big I can get a cruiser to drop some plasma but we're danger close.”

“Understood Captain, we'll be ready.”

“Second wave is already on the way with tank support, hold the line people, time for us to do our jobs.”

“Possible movement front.” The warning came in. “Scouting party.”

“Hold your fire, don't let them see our firepower yet.” Garibaldi ordered. “Cooper, got a shot?”

“I see them.” The marksman lined up his scoped gauss rifle, less powerful than a true sniper rifle but still a very potent weapon. “Taking the shot.”

The rifle cracked throwing back one of the Minbari scouts by the treeline. The remainder at once darted backwards, one of them pausing to launch a bright blue flare into the sky. It was answered by other flares from several different locations followed by the hum of incoming vehicles.

“Keep your eyes front, focus on your sector!” Garibaldi called out. “Designate your targets, be liberal with your rifles and careful with your missiles! Remember they are warriors, not soldiers, they'll be looking for a fair and noble fight. Murder them before they get a chance.”

At that moment the Minbari burst from the treeline and charged for the human lines, bolting across the three hundred yards of open flattened ground toward the dug in well entrenched soldiers. Even without razor wire the attack was suicide, running over open ground in the face of automatic weapons hadn't been a sensible strategy for centuries and nothing much had changed that fact.

“Let 'em have it!” Garibaldi yelled simultaneously blasting a storm of plasma rounds toward the charging Minbari. An instant after the rest of the platoon engaged with other units along the perimeter joining the defence. It was a massacre, the running Minbari were cut down long before they reached the halfway point.

“The hell are they doing?” Groller glanced around. “They think that's going to work?”

“Red Platoon incoming!” Captain Fox suddenly shouted down the line. “Get down!”

“Everybody flat!” Garibaldi echoed before ducking into his foxhole exactly as a series of massive explosions and blinding lights engulfed the line. He stayed as low as possible until the fury subsided, peering out gingerly once the initial thunder faded.

“Nukes?” Cooper's helmeted head popped up nearby, the landscape smoking.

“Heavy artillery, the Minbari use antimatter.” The old Sergeant figuered. “Looks worse than it is, platoon, sound off.”

Everyone checked in, the blasts had shredded anything in the open but fortunately the wisdom of digging in had proven entirely justified.

“Minbari front! Vehicles!”

“Take them!”

Their opponents were now beginning to show their strategy. The first wave of suicidal warriors had been those too young or too enraged to fight with discipline and could have been more a hindrance than a help to an organised attack. The Minbari commander had sent them in first to in part test the defences and in part rid himself of a source of future problems. It was ruthless and cynical, but it also strengthened his hand and mirrored what Branmer was doing elsewhere.

With the fanatics gone the real attack now began, Star Rider warriors advancing under artillery cover with vehicles keeping pace. Small squads darted forward spaced between slender fighting vehicles and bulky tanks laying down suppressive fire against the Earth positions.

“This is the main event now!” Garibaldi ducked as a pulse from one of the tanks thudded into the ground next to him showering him with rough glass. “Focus on the tanks, everyone else cover the tank hunters!”

Those tasked and armed with missiles took centre stage, lowering their rifles and quickly shouldering one of the small Hammer class anti tank missiles. The system automatically locked the nearest vehicle and fired, several rapid projectiles racing out and slamming into the Minbari with a deafening crack.

The sheer power of the human weapons was enough to blast through even the strong Minbari vehicle armour shattering their targets which dropped to the ground with a crackle and hiss of flame. It was a strong blow, but the Minbari did not falter closing their ranks and increasing their fire.

“They're still advancing!” Cooper warned.

“I can see that!” Garibaldi snapped. “First Company actual, Red Platoon, we're under heavy fire, request support fire mission!”

“Red Platoon, mortars are gone!” Fox replied. “Call the air force and designate the target!”

“Roger that!” He switched frequencies. “Thunderclap, repeat, Thunderclap! Request immediate support danger close!”

One of his foxholes vanished launching a pair of soldiers into the air. Their armour protected them but out in the open they were struck by dozens of energy blasts that overwhelmed their defences. Another missile or two streaked back toward the Minbari but with the intensity of the attack increasing it was almost suicide to peek out for a shot.

“Red Platoon, Thunderclap, stand by.” A voice answered. “We see you, standby.”

The sky roared overhead as a pair of Banshee fighters swept over at less than a hundred feet scattering cluster bombs in their wake, the hundreds of projectiles creating a rippling series of explosions that shredded vehicles and infantry both. In a heartbeat the soul was torn from the Minbari attack, their closely aligned advance ripped apart by the swift strike.

“Finish the job!” Garibaldi stood up and fired, cutting down a pair of dazed warriors just a few yards away from the Earth lines. “Clear them away!”

The remaining platoon quickly attacked, the surviving Minbari offering a brief but futile resistance. Their fate was sealed by a sudden blast originating from behind the lines, Garibaldi peering over his shoulder to see a quartet of grimy looking Thor battle tanks rolling up in support.

“The main force is here!” He cheered. “Go get 'em!”

The tanks trundled through the lines gunning down the Minbari survivors and switching to move toward the cleared path to the city. They accelerated, turbine engines whining until the lead vehicle simply vanished in a yellow sheet of flame.

Garibaldi's unit at once dropped, the tanks swinging instantly around as something crashed out of the treeline, a blue wall of hardened crystal mounting several guns dwarfing the human vehicles staring at it.

“Red platoon here, Minbari super heavy tank in our sector!” Garibaldi called in frantically. “Request air support!”

“This is Thunderclap, munitions expended, lining up for a gun run.”

“Air support on the way! Tank hunters, hit it!”

The new opponent was in a different league to the regular Minbari vehicles, where the average human tank had enough firepower and armour to stand a chance against the average Minbari tank this beast was something else. The Wndsword super heavy tank was the Sharlin of the battlefield armed with neutron weapons and massive armour it was a vast vehicle almost impervious to anything that could be thrown against it. They were fortunately rare but where they did show up they dominated the scene.

The Thor tanks slammed into reverse, grinding on the glassed ground and popping smoke. They fired a shot each as they pulled back to no effect, the solid metal darts bouncing off the Minbari hull with a loud ding. While the smoke obscured them the Minbari didn't care, unlike the pulse weapons of the smaller tanks the Wind Sword swept the battlefield with a green neutron beam more usually found on assault bombers. All three tanks exploded one after the other, the Minbari mobile fortress slowly advancing.

Garibaldi's people hit it with as many missiles as they had left to no effect, the purple and blue mass soaking up the hits to its flank without concern, secondary turrets rotating to force the Earth troopers into cover. Overhead the Banshees attacked again ripping up the ground with pulse cannons that did nothing but scorch the Minbari super tank.

“What the hell do they make those things outta?” Groller threw himself flat as a storm of gunfire soared overhead. Several more dings were heard as another Thor tank unit tried to flank the beast only to run into Minbari support troops coming up behind.

“We need gunships!” Cooper winced as more Earth vehicles exploded. “That's the only thing that'll stop it!”

“Not the only thing.” Garibaldi risked a look as the tank moved past. “Captain Fox, Red Platoon, Minbari forces have broken through, request naval gunnery support.”

“I see them, but we're too close for a warship shoot.”

“With respect Captain nothing else is going to work, call down the fire.”

“Your position is within the blast radius.”

“We'll keep low, call it Captain.”

“Understood Sergeant, bury yourselves low and brace for impact.”

“Did she say we were within the blast radius?” Cooper let his jaw drop. “Hey Sarge, I don't know if this is such a great...”

“Red Platoon get in your foxholes and get as low down as you can! Something big is on the way, this is going to suck!”

“I hate this, I hate this, I hate...” Groller muttered as he dropped back in his hole, the others following suit.

“Ever get this close to a naval strike in the last war?” Cooper checked.

“Nope, but we didn't have these suits last time either.”

“Think they'll help?”

“Ask me again in thirty seconds.”

The situation was desperate and as such so was the response. With insufficient firepower on the ground Captain Fox called upstairs for a smiting, the sky parting as a single blue orb of plasma fell from above in a haze of flame and heat. Several cubic metres of superheated material simply immolated everything it touched, splashing out to eliminate an entire company of Minbari troops and vehicles. The Wind Sword class tank was reduced to a puddle of minerals and metal, the land around it again cooked to glass by the furious attack, a final note underline the importance of holding the high ground.

Red Platoon were literally buried in their holes, the sides caving in under the shock of the orbital strike less than a hundred metres away. Being buried turned out to be fortunate, the dirt above helping shield them from the heat and blast of the plasma impact that ravaged the Minbari forces.

Without their armoured suits they would not have survived, with them after a few moments they began to emerge cracking through the glassed sand like ugly hatchlings. They were shaken and lightheaded but still alive, indeed the only things alive for several hundred metres.

“Red Platoon, check in.” Garibaldi put some steel in his voice to distract from the fact that his knees were still shaking. “Come on, check in, you'd think nobody had ever sat under an orbital strike before!”

“Am I dead?” Cooper checked.

“If you were I wouldn't still be standing over you.” Garibaldi helped him up.

“Yeah, the devil would be less shouty.” Groller brushed off loose chunks of sand from his gear.

“Good news, Private Groller just volunteered to go fetch us all some rations!” Garibaldi grinned. “As all our stockpile just got vaporised.”

“Thanks Sarge.”

“Everyone else back in your holes until relief shows up.” The Sergeant ordered. “I think that was the last of the Minbari but no chances. Back on overwatch.”

“We lost three to the Minbari, the rest of us made it.” Cooper reported. “Backup is on the way.”

“Alright, hold here. We don't give up this ground until officially relieved. Not after we paid for it.”

“Pretty intense Sarge, this what it was like in the last war?”

“Nah, that was a lot worse. Now get back in your pit and stop talking. We're still on the clock.”

*

Omelos

Homeworld of the Dilgar

Everything was ash. This world that once been a living world was now a barren waste touched by the flames of the distant sun above. Cleansed by flame many in the League had said, but there was nothing purifying here. Burnt out buildings, the charred trunks of trees, the ash that still blew in the air like a deathly fog. It wasn't even hellish, it was just a waste.

“It has improved believe it or not.” Jha'dur looked around the city she had known so well, that she still did. “The initial nova evaporated all of the surface water and blew away a large amount of atmosphere. Some of that has returned, the magnetic field is still stable so it's just a matter of time until this world is habitable again. Radiation is an issue of course but that's fading fast in most areas.”

She knelt in the ash, flattening it with the padded knee of her environmental suit. The flakes fell easily between her fingers staining her gloves grey, the thin winds carrying them away to the far distance.

“This ash is everything we had, all we have now become. Plants, animals, people, buildings. Our greatest art, our most meagre possessions, lords and slaves alike. Has to be some sort of message there don't you think?”

“I don't really have time for it.” Her companion exhaled. “Can we move on.”

“Death and destruction is the great equaliser.” She stood ignoring his complaints. “But why should it be? Why should we be slaves to death and random chance? Death is our enemy, it wages eternal war with us until one day it wins and we lose. I don't like losing.”

She had returned to this world a few times, at least once a year to remind herself of these unchanging facts. While they had saved many lives and rebuilt their nation it didn't change the fact the bulk of her people had died on this world in a single day. She had been powerless to stop it, the forces involved infinitely greater than anything a simple spacefaring race could halt. Her brother had his theories of course, a head full of them he could speak about for hours seemingly without breath. The image brought her a small smile that faded as quickly as the ash on the breeze around her.

“We can speak privately ahead, I have a little place to myself.” She began to walk. “Come along Sineval, I thought you might appreciate a tour.”

“What I would appreciate is learning why your fleets engaged a Warrior Caste force led by Shakiri, and why you are apparently now supporting Earth!” The warrior was clearly rather vexed, his voice aggressive even over the speakers.

“I cannot control every action of my government no more than you can control yours.” She returned calmly. “But rest assured plans are in place. By the end of the month I will be the one in charge.”

She turned to ensure he could see her grinning through the visor of her helmet.

“And so will you Sineval.”

They walked through a burned out village, the buildings mostly shattered. Some had survived better than others, the Dilgar had a tendency to designate some buildings and homes as defensive structures and construct them with thick concrete walls and narrow windows. One of those buildings had been enclosed within a dome with an airlock at the entrance, not a huge structure but sufficient to enclose a decent sized home.

“We can speak privately in there.” Jha'dur activated the airlock and stepped in. “Who would think to find two people in a remote village on a long dead world at the edge of known space?”

“It isn't the talking that concerns me, it's the answers.”

“We have known each other for years Sineval. You know what I want and the methods I prefer. Have I not given you every weapon you asked for?”

“You have honoured your word so far.”

“Good, I have a way to end this war but I need your help.”

She closed the airlock behind them and filtered the air.

“I also have some more samples for you, human viral agents. This time I suggest you just deploy them to their homeworld without asking for Council approval.”

“They are weak, it is time for a Council of Warriors, like your Warmasters.”

“It works for us.”

The airlock finished cycling and allowed them into a dome. Within was a normal looking home surrounded by grass and a small tree. The air was cool and clearly filtered but otherwise quite pleasant.

“An experiment to bring life back to this planet.” Jha'dur noted. “Not all my work is destructive, I have also created some hardy plants and bacteria already being seeded outside. The first step in restoring the environment.”

“You should focus more on the war, no point restoring this world if you become my enemy.” Sineval intoned dangerously. “How do you plan to reverse this situation? To pull your fleets back and make amends for firing on our ships?”

“Firstly, your warriors fired on mine first.” She opened the door to the house. “And secondly Sineval you should show some respect when you are a guest in my home.”

“Your home?”

“This was my home when I was younger. Did you think I selected a random place for this experiment?” She grinned. “Enter, I have some tea available, fresh I might add.”

Sineval did so, the house as plain inside as outside. It had clearly been restored, freshly painted and with new furniture. In the centre of the main room were two couches at either side of a low table. One was empty, the other one to his surprise was not.

Sat on that far couch under a black robe was an entity he had only seen in ancient data files, it's face grey and bony, eyes blood red. It did not move, it just stared at him.

“Drakh.” Jha'dur said softly as she stood behind Sineval. “An old friend of mine, I thought you might like to get better acquainted.”

“You... you bring me into the same place as a Servant of Darkness?”

“It would be hard to set you up if I didn't.”

Sineval's mind clicked. He had been played, the Dilgar had played him. Jha'dur had played him. This was a trap, he didn't know what type exactly but he had to act, had to do something immediately before the jaws closed.

He spun on his heel and grabbed his fighting pike, the metal staff extending and swinging toward the smiling feline in a single fluid move. He wasn't a master like some warriors but he was fully confident that a Dilgar Female wasn't going to do a damn thing to stop him. The pike swung down and hit something, juddering in his hand as it halted several inches from the Warmasters head. It remained restrained in thin air until a shape materialised from thin air beside Jha'dur, a large figure with one hand gripping the end of the pike and the other a short particle carbine aimed at the Minbari.

“I never understood why a race that had such remarkable weapons chose a metal pole as its sidearm of choice.” Jha'dur gave a disappointed tut. “I'd prefer not to have my shadow cut you in half with a burst of pulse fire but I will if you don't start behaving.”

The grip on his fighting pike tightened, the figure covered in a type of black light suit ensuring he could not perform any sudden moves. He had no choice but to surrender his weapon to the figure and step back.

“Good, I'd rather we were civilised about this.”

“I will say nothing to a Drakh.” Sineval spoke with fury. “Or their allies!”

“I'm not an ally of the Drakh, and you need to sit down.” Jha'dur replied flatly. “Right now Sineval or I'll have Fei'nur shoot out your kneecaps.”

He stood for a moment, then headed for the free couch not doubting for a moment the Dilgar would happily open fire.

“Now then.” Jha'dur smiled happily. “About that tea.”

“I am not thirsty.”

“You Fei'nur?”

“I can wait a little while Warmaster.”

The shrouded figure removed her hood to smile at Sineval, the warrior glaring back at her.

“How did a mere Dilgar stop my attack? You are weaker than humans, you don't have the strength of a Minbari.”

“My Shadow, pardon the reference, I know Minbari and Shadows don't go well.” Jha'dur filtered some boiling water through assorted leaves. “I call Fei'nur my shadow because where I go she is never more than two steps behind. You didn't notice her on the ship ride over? Or the footprints in the ash? Admittedly she did a good job hiding them but I thought you'd be more alert.”

She picked up two teacups.

“Fei'nur has benefitted from several cybernetic upgrades, she could break every bone in your body if I told her to, but there's no benefit to it.” She shrugged. “I've already seen her do it multiple times when calibrating her implants. It gets boring after the thirtieth occasion.”

She put one cup in front of Sineval and the other on the other side, settling herself down next to the Drakh who hadn't moved anything more than his eyes since they arrived.

“Please, try the tea, it's a local blend. Grown on Alaca of course but from plants that grew near here once upon a time.”

Sineval fixed the Drakh with a glance.

“What about him?”

“He doesn't like tea, I'm not being impolite.”

“I mean why hasn't he moved?”

“Oh, Salasine here won't be moving anywhere. He didn't really want to be here either but I insisted.” Jha'dur took a sip of tea. “Please, drink.”

“What did you give him?” Sineval looked at the tea. “I think I'll pass.”

“You think there's something in the tea?” Jha'dur smiled. “Don't assume I'm as blunt as the people you usually consort with. There's nothing in the tea.”

“I'll decide for myself if...”

“It's in the air.” She continued between sips. “You've been breathing it since you entered. How are your legs?”

Sineval made to leap up and failed, the muscles in his legs failing to move. He still had sensation in them, they just didn't respond to orders.

“Wasn't easy to create a paralysing agent which doesn't affect nerve transmissions. You can feel, you just can't move.” Jha'dur smiled. “In fact your senses will sharpen, become more acute and sensitive. You'd think it would be rather enjoyable, heighten your sense of pleasure, but turns out it's like having sandpaper scraped across your every inch of flesh. Something to think about.”

She sipped her tea casually.

“Your internal organs keep working of course but after a while your eye lids seize open, I think Salasine is at that stage.” She examined the Drakh beside her, flicking a little tea in his eyes which did not respond to the stimulus. “Yes, there it is. That must be very uncomfortable.”

“I'm going to kill you.”

Jha'dur giggled a little. Peering over her tea cup.

“I'm so tempted just to stab you in the thigh but I like looking at your angry face right now more than your in pain face. Impotent anger amuses me immensely. You should know better.”

“Why then?” Sineval asked. “Why do this now?”

“It should be obvious.” She sighed slightly. “I know you weren't blessed with much grey matter under that head bone but at least try.”

“If this is your idea of a game then it's a waste.” Sineval grunted. “Through me you have access to the inner circle of the Warrior caste. You would throw that away?”

“No, I'm just upgrading. By the end of this month I'll have a member of the Grey Council owing me a massive favour, and probably Branmer too.” Jha'dur responded calmly. “You have reached the end of your usefulness old friend, especially as your Warrior castes are now obsolete.”

“You do not understand us.”

“On the contrary I understand better than most, and more importantly so does Branmer. Do you think this shift in power is arbitrary? Accidental? This change to a new, or should I say very old style of warfare just something he invented on the fly? No, no my poor out of touch little Warrior, Branmer is building a united fleet, one made of worker, warrior and religious combining the strengths of all three. A fleet he is training personally, one he will command. One the Caste Elders will have no real influence over, maybe not even the Grey Council itself.”

“Why would he do that? Why change a millennium of tradition?”

“Because it is no longer fit for purpose. And this isn't a new idea, someone else did the exact same thing, a joint fleet taking orders only from him.”

“Valen.” Sineval narrowed his eyes. “Is he trying to enact a coup?”

“Nothing so vulgar.” Jha'dur dismissed. “He's getting ready to fight a real war, against half the galaxy if he has to but mainly it is the Shadows he fears. You know them don't you Sineval? Salasine here is one of their harbingers.”

She tapped the paralysed Drakh beside her.

“They have been useful, given us some technology, some assistance in exchange for us tilting our philosophy toward their ideal. They were recruiting potential allies for the day their masters rise, new servants of chaos for the Shadows of Za'Ha'Dum. People to be the first wave in this grand proxy war, they are apparently thrilled we are now at war with you Minbari. They no doubt seek to take credit for throwing us at their old enemies.”

Jha'dur topped up her tea.

“You really should drink. Once your muscles stop working you won't be able to and I'd be sad if you died of dehydration before the game is over.”

“I will take nothing you offer.”

“Stubborness is why your caste is dying out.” The Warmaster shrugged and sipped. “But as I was saying the Drakh sought to improve their favour with their Masters, but nobody steals my credit.”

She took the kettle of boiling water and placed it on Salasine's lap, watching his eyes dart as the only reaction to the intensely hot sensation assaulting his thighs.

“Nobody, Salasine. Nobody uses me for their own ends. Nobody uses my people. We had a use for you, but as we are upgrading past dear Sineval so I am upgrading past you. Very soon we won't need you as middle men, I'll be talking to your masters directly.”

“You will seek out the Ancient Enemy?” Sineval shot her a fresh look of hatred. “Even you can't be that foolish!”

“Careful Sineval, I don't like outbursts from idiots.” Jha'dur tutted. “If they are useful I'll speak with them, the Great Eye of Za'Ha'Dum is already active and watching this war, I'll give it something interesting to see, enough to make it curious enough to allow one of our ships to land.”

“No one who goes to Za'Ha'Dum comes back the same. If at all.”

“I suppose we'll find out won't we?”

“How will you get the attention of something so evil?”

“About a billion dead Minbari.” Jha'dur reasoned. “That's my estimate, but it depends how easy it is to breach your homeworld's defences.”

“My homeworld...”

“I'm going to break them Sineval. Snap their will to fight, drive them to despair as they see their great cities of crystal burning.” She looked at him with burning eyes, lips involuntarily curling into a smile. “I will do what no one has done in a thousand years, I'm going to assault your homeworld at the head of a united fleet and end this war in an afternoon.”

She grinned widely, her eyes looking past him.

“I'm going to be the only person to ever bring down the Minbari, to defeat them completely. Whenever someone says the name Minbari they will see my name right beside it, and they will sigh in sorrow at the thought of what I did to your arrogant race.”

“You will fail.” Sineval spoke the words but wasn't sure if he believed them.

“Your fleet is gutted and scattered, they can't stop me.”

“If you kill so many this war will never end. This is not a bluff Deathwalker, the fury of the Minbari is incalculable. If you kill so many they will throw everything at you.”

“I am already hated by most of the galaxy, a few billion more is nothing to me.” She dismissed over her teacup. “Besides, I'm just doing my job, a consequence of this war. I didn't start it. You did Sineval.”

“The humans started this war.”

“That's one version of the truth.”

“There is only one version of the truth!”

“If you really believe that then it explains why you are sitting there paralysed staring at a Drakh.” Jha'dur smiled. “You started the war Sineval, you and the Windsword elders who are all now conveniently dead and unable to contradict that truth. You were tired of peace, you wanted a short victorious conflict but you picked the wrong enemy. How many have died for your ambition Sineval? How much blood was shed for your desire to restore the warriors to dominance?”

“None of that is true!”

“But the humans will believe it, and the total destruction and dissolution of the Wind Sword Clan may well be enough for them to sit at the peace table.”

“Dissolution? Have you lost your senses? We are one of the great clans! We will exist forever!”

“You really are that foolish?” She laughed harshly. “Poor Sineval, Branmer has been erasing your clan since the war began. He will take your warriors and resources, retrain them, and turn them into his own soldiers. And they will be happy for it. More importantly Branmer is intelligent enough to seize this opportunity with both hands. I will give him on a plate the thing he wants more than anything else, an excuse to destroy his only real rivals at home and as a bonus placate Earth in the process.”

She leaned back, tea cup in hand.

“That is how I upgrade from a mere clan elder to a Shai Alyt, one who will become the new Valen in place of Dukhat. Quite a friend to have.”

“It won't work, they won't believe you!” Sineval began to shout. “I will not be a pawn in your games!”

“You always were Sineval, nothing more.” She watched him becoming more slack in his seat, her chemical agent doing its work. “But you are right, the Minbari may not believe your war like ways were so selfish, or may not care. Fortunately Sineval, the Minbari will assume you were deceived into starting the war.”

She tapped the Drakh.

“Deceived by this man right here.”

“We would never be fooled by a Servant of Darkness!”

“They offered you power, prestige, a way to climb in strength and influence. You just needed an easy war and they provided the target. Except it wasn't easy, they turned you on a race who should have been your allies. They wanted you weakened before the Shadows rose.”

“Lies!”

“And it worked, you are both weakened. This whole war is a plot by the Shadows to weaken you. Your people were betrayed by your ambitions, the Windswords set up the war at the behest of the Drakh, you are all pawns of the Shadows. The only logical action is to stop fighting, every day you battle further only serves your true enemy.”

“They will never believe that!”

“They will believe it when a Satai of the Grey Council tells them that story. They will embrace it when they see my ships levelling their cities and they cry for a solution. They will focus all that rage and sorrow and hate on the Drakh and on you. Not me, or the humans, or anyone else. You Sineval and your arrogance.”

“You can't do this!”

“It's already done. They will find you here with him sat over tea, a Windsword and a Drakh with documents suggesting you are trying to use the Drakh to get you out of the current disaster. You begging them for help.” She showed a Minbari data crystal.

“I wrote it myself, I really played up the hysteria to guarantee your reputation drops like a stone beside a singularity. You are going to be hated and ridiculed forever Sineval, sneered at with the same disgust people feel after walking through a sewer. Not the type of hate I bring based on fear and grief, but hate for your weakness and stupidity.”

She finished her tea and stood up, walking around the table to lean in close to Sineval, his body trying to stretch up it's arms to throttle her and failing.

“You tried to use me Sineval and as I hope I've made clear I don't like it when people do that. The biological weapons I gave you are harmless, a mild fever that by now will have died out.”

“You did all this because I tried to use you to gain weapons?” Sineval glared at her in anger and confusion.

“Of course not. You tried to abduct me just after the Battle of Balos. My people drove you off, but you killed four thousand eight hundred and nineteen excellent Dilgar officers and ratings in the process. Highly skilled crews on first rate ships, lives worth immeasurably more than any of your smug proud warriors. You killed them like they were nothing to you, and for that you and your entire clan will be reviled for the rest of history. Disgraced, dissolved, mocked for their stupidity. Well, those who weren't slaughtered.”

She signalled over Fei'nur who took Jha'dur's tea cup and kettle away.

“The Anla'shok will be here in a couple of weeks, you will of course be dead by then but in the days it takes for you to slowly wither away I want you to reflect on what a bad idea it was to get in my way and kill my faithful soldiers.”

“That's why you are doing this? Revenge?”

“I'm doing this to end the war and improve the standing of my people among both humans and Minbari, and to give me a little leveredge over a Satai and the Shai Alyt.” She answered honestly. “All very practical and planned. But the method? Oh yes Sineval, you are right, this is revenge. I didn't know exactly how I was going to do it but I knew killing you wasn't enough. I had to destroy you in such a way that for the next thousand years your name becomes a synonym for a proud vain idiot.”

She stood straight, her expression gleeful.

“I have destroyed you utterly Sineval along with everything you love and value. Reflect on this as you starve for it is the most perfect torture I have ever inflicted. For the sake of my brothers and sisters you massacred so casually, I have ended you and all you have lived for utterly and irrevocably. This is my retribution, and I will still be smiling over it thousands of years from now.”

*

It was still cold, this far north it always was and the fall of Omelos had only made matters worse. Deathwalker breathed through her mask insulated from the atmosphere of her home, a cruelty she did not particularly approve of. Beside her Fei’nur closed up the building and erased the record of their visit.

“Ambassador G’Kar will inform the Minbari of this soon. He will request a Satai of the Grey Council be present with the Rangers to guarantee the correct result.”

“Very good.” Jha’dur approved. “Then I suppose we should return to the fleet.”

She said the words but did not move, eyes still viewing the dead land.

“Warmaster?”

“There is still hope we can bring this planet back. But science alone won’t do it.” She observed. “Restore the magnetic field, bring back plants, scrub the radiation, all of this we can do over time. But what will stop this happening again? What we do now is the real work, this is how we restore our people.”

“If the Shadows are real and Branmer is right, that an even bigger war is coming, our position is difficult.”

“Extremely.” Jha’dur nodded. “We would be the first to fall,but after this if all goes to plan perhaps we may find ourselves stronger. All I do I do so this world may live. I failed to save it the first time, but I will not fail twice. Even if it takes me a hundred lifetimes I will see my people thriving once again on this world.”

“I do not doubt it Warmaster.”

“Thank you Fei’nur. Now I believe we have a few billion Minbari to kill. You know that old human saying?”

She grinned wide again.

“No rest for the wicked.”


	18. Chapter 18

18

Somewhere in Minbari Space.

“Standby on all systems. Comms?”

“Ready Captain.”

“Sensors?”

“Yes Ma'am.”

“Electronic Warfare?”

“Ready Captain.”

“Air wing?”

“Green.”

“Weapons?”

“On hot standby.”

“Very well.” The unshakeable Captain Kaveri Varma took a pocket watch from her uniform and poised her finger over the button to begin the countdown. She waited until the hands inched toward the top of the face, the watch appearing old but powered by an energy cell with a life of eight hundred years. It was scratched and dented, an object that had served her well over the years, through hard times and good without fail. She would be relying on it again today, the next few minutes would hang on perfect timing.

“Initiate jump.”

The immense frame of the EAS DeSoto made the switch from hyperspace back to realspace, the Captain tilting slightly on her heels to counter the sudden surge of acceleration not quite caught by the inertial compensators. The Explorer vessel she commanded had a rotating central core simulating gravity but it still had problems with sudden changes in speed or direction. Fortunately the Explorer class was so huge sudden changes of any type were all somewhat relative.

“Jump successful, confirm location three AU from Minbari Colony.” Her helmsman informed.

“Electronic Warfare suite at full capacity, we are jamming communications across the system.”

“Maintain an offensive posture.” Captain Varma approved. “Deploy Alpha and Bravo squadrons.”

“On the way.”

“Captain, three Minbari warships on scopes.” A sharp warning crossed the command deck. “Heavy frigates, Torotha class.”

“Time to intercept?”

“Six minutes.”

“Enemy fighters?”

“None launching yet, but the colony almost certainly has some.”

So far all was going to plan, the DeSoto had arrived in the system a considerable distance from the Minbari colony world in the safety of open space. While a massive vessel with respectable armament the Explorer was no match for a true warship, let alone three.

“Sensors? Update?”

“I have a basic map of all relevent locations, working on resolution.”

“Do we have enough for phase two of the operation?”

“Yes Captain, relaying information.”

“Communications, my compliments to Captains Sheridan and McGee, begin jump sequence.”

Captain Varma was an Explorer but that did not mean she did not know how to fight, indeed she viewed the mechanics of war with cool dispassion understanding well the strengths and limitations of the pieces under her hand. Her flagship was an incredible instrument of science and discovery but it was not a warship, in stand up combat its capabilities were limited. However that did not make the ship useless, it carried the most powerful sensor array in known space, the great panels on the forward hull able to channel more raw power than even Minbari arrays. It hadn't been enough to beat Minbari stealth but it was enough to effectively blind enemy long range sensors and communications.

The great ship also had the tools of its regular trade, mapping technology with the ability to quickly survey a star system and identify unusual structures and energy sources. While these instruments were designed for seeking out lost civilisations and valuable minerals they served just as well to identify critical targets and high value enemy locations to be destroyed.

The DeSoto would not engage such targets directly of course, it's airwing could handle some of the requirements but her main job was to be the director of this particular performance. The main players were eminently better suited to the butchery of war.

A jump point formed near the Minbari frigates perfectly placed to flank them, the coordinates provided by the Explorer ship. From the vortex emerged a pair of ugly grey warships, Earth Force destroyers already opening fire again thanks to precise information relayed by the DeSoto. Red beams bit deep into the sides of the frigates before the vortex even closed, the destroyers dwarfing the smaller Minbari ships and hitting them hard without restraint or mercy.

The Torotha frigates were surprisingly durable for their size, with the benefits of stealth the battle may have been very different, but at close range and with Earth able to cleanly target the smaller ships the contest did not last long. All three vessels were overwhelmed by the Earth Force capital ships in short order and left as shattered hulks in their wake.

“Opposition defeated Captain.”

“Any other defenders?” Varma asked.

“Negative, there are berths for cruiser class ships orbiting the planet but no sign of them.”

“Our reports indicated the Minbari were stripping their home defences of warships to fill out the front lines. It appears intelligence was correct for a change.”

It was unlucky for the Minbari but suited her mission as a raider. With the rear echelons and colonies vulnerable Varma and her colleagues could wreak whatever havoc she saw fit.

“Have the Destroyers engage primary targets in orbit. Our air wing will destroy the mining stations and refineries out here.”

The orders were already prepared, the plans drafted. With a single confirmation the two attached fighter squadrons peeled away and accelerated for their targets. At the head of the formation was Jeffrey Sinclair opening up the throttles to his brand new Starfury, the aircraft still carrying the scent of fresh polymers and new paint. Up ahead was a loose asteroid field with a few dotted lights within representing Minbari industrial targets, some sort of mining operation sending materials to the war effort. Easy pickings.

After the Line Sinclair's squadron had been stood down as combat ineffective, its pilots either dead or injured. Rather than wait for the unit to be rebuilt with suitable candidates Sinclair had volunteered to lead a composite squadron of similar survivors hastily thrown together and deployed to bulk up the striking power of the raiding forces. Under his direction the veterans had cemented together pretty quickly, the ad hoc unit adopting the name 'Scraps' as a dark joke about them being the last scraps of several elite air wings.

It wasn't the same, but he needed to get back out there, back into the fight. The war was hanging in the balance with Earth and her allies hitting back and Sinclair needed to be there one way or another to lend his strength.

“Alpha Squadron, break left and engage structures on the main asteroid.” Sinclair directed. “Bravo Squadron break right and go for the extractors.”

The Starfuries split in perfect unison, the cluster of craft pairing up and sweeping in to savage the Minbari infrastructure. The extractors were easy targets, automated drilling and boring machines that sat on the surface of mineral rich asteroids and drew useful materials from within them. With no defences or protection Bravo squadron swept overhead and fired down with their pulse cannons detonating them one after another.

The refineries assigned to Alpha squadron were more difficult, a pair of large buildings with cavernous hangar bays that received raw materials and turned them into the various alloys needed for warship construction. While most Minbari ships had a hull of synthetic crystal their internal structure was usually a more traditional and durable metal.

This time the fighters came in close at a slow speed cutting engines and rotating to face the buildings as they coasted past. These buildings were also mostly automated but a line of windows indicated there was at least some crew aboard overseeing operations. They would be Worker Caste and while Earth was trying to avoid civilian casualties the mission had to be completed.

Sinclair's squadron engaged, blasts of fire erupting in chains across the refineries as they fired pulse cannons on full auto punching through the skin of the buildings and ripping the insides apart. They weren't built to endure such an attack and quickly crumbled spilling debris and wreckage out into cold space.

“All fighters regroup and return to base.” Sinclair ordered. “Dock as soon as we return.”

*

“Enemy warships destroyed.” Lieutenant Commander James called across the command deck of the Andromeda. “Fleet command has cleared us to engage any valid targets in orbit.”

“Acknowledge the signal, then bring us about.” Sheridan set his sights on the next phase of the attack keenly aware of his commanding officer's distant eyes resting on him. “Let's make this quick and clean.”

The Omega class warship adjusted direction and turned in toward the planet, engines flickering as she pushed herself onto the new course. There wasn't much of interest on the planet itself, just a few fairly minor cities and some locations of religious importance according to a Centauri survey. The only items of value were in orbit, a collection and transfer station for the mining operations alongside a couple of dozen freighters half way through loading.

“I have fighters moving up from the planet, two squadrons.” James relayed. “They're moving slowly, we don't have the design on record.”

“A new type of fighter?”

“I'd say an old one, obsolete by even League standards.”

Sheridan checked the sensor data, the incoming fighters having the same tri-wing design common to all Minbari craft but they were far more sluggish and laboured their way into orbit.

“Shall I launch fighters to intercept Captain?”

“Negative, let the interceptors handle them.” Sheridan ordered. “Stay on target, we'll engage the freighters as we pass and then cut apart the station.”

Earth Force had decided it was going to fight this war based on the rules Branmer had used to prove that they were not the underhanded monsters many Minbari seemed to believe. As the Minbari had only engaged military targets and infrastructure dedicated to the war effort so too would Earth. It was an easy directive to give but somewhat harder to execute.

Over the planet there was a cluster of civilian ships, a large number were bulk freighters carrying raw materials for warship construction but scattered among them were passenger ships, food transports and private yachts. Even more difficult was the station which had sections set aside for mined materials and other sections used for passenger ships and shuttle transit from the surface. The Andromeda had to place her shots very carefully to avoid any pure civilian casualties, the last thing the EA wanted was to space a bunch of school children on a day trip.

“Secondary gun batteries ready.” His First Officer reported calmly. David James was a new transfer into Sheridan's command but so far had proven highly focused and capable. “Targets locked, ready to fire.”

“Commence firing.” Sheridan put his trust in the gunnery crews and let them do their job. The smaller flank gun turrets began to engage, a mix of beam and pulse shots depending on the specific target. The Arethusa under McGee followed Sheridans example and began picking off its own targets, Minbari freighters breaking up and detonating under the multiple attacks.

The shots were well placed, in some cases crossing within a few yards of passenger liners before striking the Ore haulers and tankers. Their targets had no defences, after all who would ever be able to attack so deep within Minbari space? By that same logic the incoming fighters had never been updated to more modern designs, nor had their pilots received any serious training. They were Workers, not Warriors, and it showed. Never the less they attacked bravely, if futilely.

“Switch secondary weapons to interception mode.” Sheridan ordered.

“Ready.”

“Fire.”

The incoming fighters were too slow and too bunched together, against the sudden storm of precisely aimed pulses they had no chance. A better trained unit might have evaded but not these courageous but hopelessly outmatched pilots.

“Captain, transmission from flagship, its an analysis of the space station.”

“Patch it through.”

The data was sent to the small screen beside his chair, a very simple sensor model of the Minbari station with the different sections assigned a different colour. The superior sensors of the DeSoto had been able to find which parts were used for storage and materials and which were for passengers and habitation. All Sheridan had to do was hit the cargo sections and ignore the rest. Again it sounded easy in practice, but hitting an exact target and avoiding collateral damage while also cruising past at tens of kilometres per second using a twenty metre calibre heavy laser cannon was an incredible test of both his ship and crew.

“Main guns online, fixing target.” James read off the reports swiftly, the sensor displays showing a slightly dramatic crosshair forming over part of the station.

“Fire when ready.”

The crew did not disappoint, the red beams precise and surgical despite the scale of the weapons they were using. The red beams cut deep into key structural elements melting through supports which had held the station together for centuries. With as much care as several million tons of fast moving warship could manage the Andromeda cut apart the station and split the cargo and passenger sections away from each other, the two parts of the station tumbling away. The grey vessel raced past, her aft guns slicing deeper into the cargo containment bays to hasten it's demise and push it further away from the pure civilian areas.

Both parts of the station began to loose orbit though it would take days for them to descend enough to break up in the atmosphere. Earth Force didn't have that sort of time so it was left to the Arethusa to tidy up, a hail of full powered pulse cannon shots blasting the cargo bays once they were safely clear of the passenger docks.

It had been as clean and precise as the President had directed thanks mainly to the excellent crews aboard the human vessels. With the Minbari navy gutted and rebuilding almost from scratch it wasn't just quantity humanity had on its side but increasingly quality too. Now it wasn't just tactics and strategy but also individual performance, something the warrior caste had been able to at least keep a grip on before the Line.

“Operation complete.” Captain Varma checked her watch, four minutes thirty eight seconds. “Begin jump, make sure we are long gone off the beacon before any patrols respond.”

Her destroyer escorts could handle most any patrol the Minbari had in real space, but if they ran into a force in hyperspace riding the beacon in while she was riding it out things could get very unpleasant. As Earth had tried to use hyperspace to even the odds at the start of the war now the Minbari could do the same.

The two destroyers made their jump closer to the planet, the DeSoto leaving from further away and linking up at the beacon. Both Andromeda and Arethusa fell into flanking positions guarding the flagship, the three ships representing the cutting edge of Earth Force. Impressive as they were compared to the fleet of just a few years ago they were already about to become outdated themselves thanks to Centauri artificial gravity and captured Minbari weapons. Earth already had the basic plans for a whole new fleet on the drawing boards, Project Warlock.

“Captain, signal from Earth Force command.” Her communication's officer interrupted her thoughts.

“Do not acknowledge, we will not break radio silence.”

“Yes Ma'am, transferring to your station.”

She headed over to her console and looked at the subchannel identification, it was legitimate and carried authentication codes unique to her command. It was also an ultraviolet priority message, a level of classification so high only command officers even knew it existed.

She applied the appropriate decryption and read the text only message, it ordered her to a rendezvous and said nothing else. Irregular, but for Command to send a message like this something exceptional must have happened.

“We are changing course. Inform our escorts, laser comms only.”

“Yes Captain.”

“Navigation, plot a route to the following location, use our temporary beacons to keep us away from Minbari transit routes.”

“Aye, aye. It'll take a few minutes.”

“Proceed.” The Captain acknowledged, her mind whirring with possibilities.

*

The Earthforce trio arrived with a brief spark of light that ballooned outward into the ever familiar tachyon vortex depositing the Explorer and both destroyers into open space. There was no jumpgate here, the system was barren and empty save for a few encoded beacons Captain Varma had dropped a month earlier. Its unremarkable location made it a logical fall back point for the raiding party, though as the vortex closed and sensors swept the region it quickly became clear they were not alone.

“Single contact, capital ship, sitting close to the beacon!”

The vastly powerful sensors on the DeSoto caught the target almost instantly, taking just a few seconds to build a complete profile.

“She's Dilgar, Valari class Dreadnought. She's holding station.”

“IFF?” Varma enquired.

“Negative, she's running silent.”

“Show me a visual, each design is slightly different.”

“Aye Captain.”

“Open a line to Andromeda and Arethusa.”

“Ready Ma'am.”

An instant later she was greeted by Captains Sheridan and McGee who had no doubt just finished scanning the Dilgar vessel.

“Gentlemen, I am about to open communications with this vessel. Please monitor this channel but allow me to conduct the conversation.”

“Understood Captain.” Both her subordinates acknowledged.

“This is slightly unexpected but there must be good reason for it. Standby.”

“Captain, visual on the Dilgar ship.” Her survey officer patched through. Varma looked at it briefly before nodding.

“It is Warmaster Jha'dur.” She concluded. “The markings are unique to each commander, these are the Clan of the Frozen Moon, the Lowa Dur. Communications, open a channel to that vessel.”

“Ready.”

She inhaled a little, Kaveri Varma was not a person who was easily shaken but speaking with someone like Jha'dur was not to be undertaken lightly. Every word, every intonation, every gesture or flicker of expression would offer the Warmaster reams of information. While they were allies this was clearly an experiment.

“Warmaster Jha'dur, we have received orders to contact a vessel at this location. Are you the ship we are looking for?”

She kept it brief and to the point, no need to waste a Warmaster's time.

“Captain Varma, you correctly deduced this was my vessel.” A clearly amused voice replied. “My compliments, your reputation as an expert on our culture is not exaggerated.”

“I cannot claim that Warmaster, but the clan markings of the family of Dur are some of the most famous. Any junior officer who served in the war would know them by heart.” She did not react to Jha'dur knowing her name.

“Modest too. I am the person you have been instructed to meet, take a shuttle over, I have fresh orders for you too sensitive to be transmitted. They are to be placed directly into your hand.”

“Very well Warmaster, I shall be aboard within ten minutes. May I bring another?”

“Bring whoever you wish, I will see you in ten minutes.”

She ended the message leaving Varma online only with her two fellow humans.

“Captain Sheridan I request your company, you have met Jha'dur before and she has some respect for you. Captain McGee please assume command in my absence.”

“Will do Captain.”

“We best be swift, I do not think it is polite to keep the lioness waiting at the door.”

*

“Kaveri Varma.” Jha'dur repeated the name as she strolled down the long corridor to the hangar deck, her Chief of Staff keeping time beside her matching the long legged stride of the Warmaster. “A name that I've heard before, she has an interest in our species.”

“Yes Warmaster.” Shai'jhur answered plainly. “It is logical we should contact her group of raiders rather than one of the other groups.”

“We could have sent a frigate to relay this information, but honestly I am curious.” Jha'dur mused. “Most humans despise us and even now only grudgingly accept our help. But not this one, any thoughts?”

“None that would not be pure speculation.” Shai'jhur returned. “And I know you look down on speculation.”

“Speaking of things I look down on...” She waved over her shoulder. “Lieutenant! Up here!”

From behind a set of small feet quickened the pace to respond to the summons, a considerably shorter and more furry officer in a dull red uniform bustled up to the two Dilgar senior officers with a quick nod.

“Yes Warmaster?”

“You will announce me.” Jha'dur ordered. “We are meeting a respected ally under formal circumstances. Do not embarrass the Imperium.”

The young officer nodded several times rapidly, a bundle of anxious energy who dropped back a safe distance.

“Just remember your drill.” Shai'jhur called back. “This is an important moment, you will do fine.”

“If you don't you'll be a rug in my office.” Jha'dur huffed shooting a glare at her Second in Command. “I'm holding you responsible for this.”

“Yes Warmaster.”

“And I am doing this under protest because the Supreme Warmaster made it a direct order.”

“Yes Warmaster.” Shai'jhur kept a neutral expression despite filling with amusement.

“Exactly two people in this universe would have the raw courage to pull rank on me, and they use that power for this?” She waved at the officer. “An Alacan. Unbelievable.”

“Technically she's a Dilgar subspecies from Alaca Warmaster, making her effectively Dilgar and as such...”

“It would be bad form if I appeared before the humans with my hands around your throat.” Jha'dur growled. “Our manpower levels can't be this desperate. An Alacan in my Strike fleet? Unthinkable.”

Shai'jhur looked over her shoulder and gave the trailing officer a slight grin of encouragement. With the Imperium in dire need of fresh bodies to support the expansion of the Navy the Supreme Warmaster had approved recruiting select Alacans into the military initially as auxiliaries but now as part of the main fleets. Shai'jhur had been a supporter of the plan and played a major role in classifying the feline Alacans as a subspecies of the feline Dilgar, something which was more a lie of convenience than a scientific fact.

Many Dilgar resisted the idea, as a species they had been bred to hate any who were not pure Prime Dilgar and those attitudes were not easily discarded, plus the majority of Alacans still hated the Dilgar for the brutal conquest and subjugation of their world. Bridging that rift wasn't going to happen overnight, perhaps it never would, but with the galaxy at war both sides increasingly needed one another.

Teraka Silas was the first Alacan to be assigned to a Dilgar Strike Fleet serving as Flag Lieutenant to the Warmaster Jha'dur. It was one of the most desirable posts for any junior officer and giving it to an Alacan was hugely symbolic even if it was little more than a basic assistant job. Silas had proven an adept tactician and would probably go on to command a ship in the near future, she was already the face of Alacan recruitment and surviving a tour of duty with Deathwalker would only cement her future. It was a good set up but hadn't taken into account the sheer terror that came with being on Jha'dur's staff.

That wasn't limited to Alacans of course, very few lasted a full tour under Jha'dur for while she was fair with her staff she demanded excellence and her standards were rarely met. Silas had been in the job for four days and had spoken only twice to the Warmaster, mostly she served Shai'jhur and maintained a respectful distance. Jha'dur's displeasure over this assignment was not disguised but as it was a direct order from a superior she had little choice.

Silas had so far done her job well, but all the stoicism of command training had almost completely vacated her in the presence of the Demon Queen herself. Shai'jhur had proven supportive and steadfast but there wasn't much she could do to make the Warmaster less imposing, it was truly the iron test.

*

The quartet stepped out into the loading bay at the quickmarch, casual but perfectly in time betraying their old drill training that still clung on even at the highest levels of command. The honour guards were already deployed in the bay and standing at the end of their line were two humans waiting in their classic blue uniforms. Each held the rank of Captain and Jha'dur at once recognised them both.

The Warmaster party halted facing the humans, Jha'dur and Shai'jhur standing in the centre with Fei'nur ever beside her Warmaster and Shai'jhur escorted by the diminutive Alacan. For a long few moments they waited for the formal proceedings to begin, Jha'dur eventually glancing at Shai'jhur who gently tapped the Alacan Lieutenant's back.

“Oh!” The smaller officer jumped forward and puffed out her chest so her small voice filled the bay. “Here be a Warmaster!”

Jha'dur rolled her eyes prompting her Chief of Staff to mutter under her breath.

“Stands. Here Stands a Warmaster.”

“Oh, yes, right right.” Lieutenant Silas' fur stood on end as her body burned with embarrassment. “Here be...I mean stands...”

“Enough.” Jha'dur cut her off before turning to Shai'jhur. “Your fault.”

“Yes Warmaster.”

“Remind me why are you still breathing?”

“Because I am the only person who understands your filing system Warmaster.”

The Warmaster snickered briefly, observing Captain Varma also had a tiny moment of amusement.

“Very well, we'll talk later.”

Jha'dur stepped forward and stood before the humans, Captain Varma offering a salute.

“Kaveri Varma, Captain of the EAS DeSoto, officer commanding Raiding Group Delta. May I also present Captain John Sheridan.”

“We have met, not long before the Line.” Jha'dur nodded. “Welcome aboard both of you. I believe you know my chief of Staff already?” She gestured at Shai'jhur. “My escort Combat Master Fei'nur, and the less said about Combat Expert Teraka Silas the better.”

“An Alacan?” Sheridan frowned, quickly reeling himself back in. “Apologies, I was surprised to see one in uniform.”

“You're not the only one Captain.” The Warmaster smiled wryly.

“Permission to step aboard Warmaster?” Captain Varma formally requested.

“Granted.” The Warmaster nodded. “I do appreciate these old human Navy traditions, how you maintain them over generations.”

“We are both a people of tradition Warmaster.” Varma observed. “Tlou vai naka shar anka horom ma san.”

Jha'dur tilted her head at the words before breaking out into a wide grin. “You hear that Shai'jhur?”

“I did Warmaster.”

“To hear those words from a human? You made my day Captain!” The Warmaster laughed. “Did she tell you what she was going to say Captain Sheridan?”

“No Ma'am.”

“It is a very old Dilgar greeting usually shared when two clans unite before battle.” Jha'dur kept her eyes on Varma as she explained. “May the blood of our enemies soak your boots to the knee.”

“That certainly sounds like a Dilgar greeting Ma'am.” Sheridan allowed bringing another laugh to the Warmaster.

“Far be it from me to deny that.” She focused on Kaveri. “You know our language quite well, bit of an accent but passable.”

“My Dilgar is regrettably not as polished as your English.”

“I've had more opportunity to use it.” Jha'dur dismissed the comment. “Bit of a Rohric dialect wouldn't you say Shai'jhur?”

“Yes Warmaster.” Her associate answered flatly.

“I'd guess she learned the basics from a native of Rohric colony. Where did you learn your English again Shai'jhur?”

“Several sources Warmaster.”

“Quite the coincidence Captain Varma has a dialect similar to yours, and you have one similar to her.” Jha'dur smiled with faux innocence before slipping into native Dilgar again. “This moment is just excrutiating isn't it? Face to face with your illicit alien lover while the epitome of Dilgar xenophobia is standing beside you? Consider this punishment for bringing that Alacan on my vessel.”

“Yes Warmaster.”

“I'm going to be doing this all day.” She promised. “Where are my manners?” She returned to English. “Please join us, we have some important business to discuss.”

The Dilgar party led the group through the ship, the corridors spotless and crew members alert if furtive toward the aliens walking their ship. Many were too young to have fought in the war but the older department heads and officers would probably have battled Earth at one point. There was still resentment there.

“Do you know the second Dilgar Captain?” Sheridan asked. “There seemed to be an implication?”

“Briefly, yes.” Varma nodded. “I will not speak of specifics and my report is on record. We were marooned on the same world during the war, we worked together to survive until rescued. In that time I learned much of Dilgar language, culture and customs. Knowledge which is no doubt why I am here instead of Captain MacDougan despite his seniority.”

“It might offer an advantage in negotiations?”

“Yes, as of course will you Captain as son of our finest diplomat.” Varma observed. “But I do not believe this is some form of negotiation, my instinct tells me it is a test.”

“Admiral Hamato thought Deathwalker was treating this whole war as something for her personal amusement.”

“It is more than that I believe, but he is not entirely wrong. There is a personal element in this I sense, but it is not unusual for Dilgar War lords to measure their allies and enemies personally.”

“Which one are we?”

“This meeting may help determine that answer Captain.” Varma offered. “As she is measuring us so too must we measure her.”

*

The party assembled in a briefing room that Jha'dur sealed behind them. She reached into her pocket and retrieved a data crystal with a slight blue tinge to it signifying an Earth Alliance diplomatic crystal.

“This is yours.” She offered it to Captain Varma. “Handed to me in person by General Lefcourt. I haven't tried to access it but I already know what is on there.”

Varma took the crystal, as a diplomatic message the level of encryption would be exceptional which combined with the fact it was hand delivered meant whatever orders it held were critical to the war.

“An attack on a major Minbari target.” She reasoned. “A key shipyard perhaps? Their main mothball yard?”

Jha'dur smiled at her which gave Varma the nudge she needed.

“Minbar.”

“Minbar.” The Warmaster nodded. “Good instincts Captain.”

“You will be participating Warmaster?”

“I will be commanding the operation, the Alliance Raiding groups will be under my temporary command. I look forward to working with you.”

Sheridan did not do a very good job hiding his reaction.

“Your orders will confirm it.” Jha'dur pre-empted his comments. “The main strength of this operation will be a Dilgar fleet, that is why I have command.”

“Very well.” Varma accepted preventing any discussion from Sheridan. “I will review the orders and place my forces at your disposal.”

“No questions or comments?”

“It is not the place of a subordinate to interrogate their commanding officer when the information is in their hand.”

“Well said.” Jha'dur approved. “You just want to get the job done.”

“To the utmost of my ability.”

“Then I would be a poor commander not to offer a briefing. If you will indulge me for a few minutes?”

“We are at your command.”

Jha'dur activated a screen showing an image of a planet of crisp blue and white shades glittering against black space. It was a beautiful world whatever anyone thought of it's inhabitants.

“Our objective is not a direct attack, not yet.” Jha'dur spoke. “Weakened as the Minbari Navy is the planetary defences around their homeworld represent the most powerful defence grid known to exist. It would take a heavily reinforced Alliance fleet to break through and that is not our goal.”

She zoomed the image in revealing numerous structures in orbit.

“The mission is to destroy several large orbital facilities, this will have the practical benefit of weakening their defences for future attacks but more importantly will demonstrate to the Minbari population that they are no longer safe.”

“An attack on their morale?” Sheridan asked.

“On their complacency.” Varma expanded. “And their faith in their leaders.”

“Precisely.” Jha'dur nodded. “Our information indicates the Minbari population are not being informed of the true course of the war. They believe their fleet is fighting bravely and holding the line, that key Minbari worlds are perfectly safe and no enemy could possibly touch them. That a foreign power could threaten them as they sleep in their homes is unthinkable to the Minbari.”

“They have been the top dogs for a thousand years.” Sheridan observed.

“Exactly. They have forgotten the truth of war. Terror.” Jha'dur spoke with relish. “For those thousand years they have been able to impose their will and face no repercussions, no consequences for their policy. That they declared the genocide of humanity so swiftly was only because they believed you could not return the favour. A level of arrogance I can barely comprehend. We're going to give them a lesson Captain, we're going to remind them what it is to fear.”

She grinned widely.

“And who better than I to deliver this lesson?”

“What is our specific target Warmaster?” Varma asked.

“We will be attacking military targets only, space stations associated with their defence grid large enough to be seen from the surface. The attack will be obvious to anyone on the ground, it cannot be hidden or covered up, it will be a demonstration of our reach.” The Warmaster highlighted a few points over the planet. “Earth Force gets the prize, their largest and most powerful station sitting over their capital.”

She brought up an image of a massive space station, a disc shaped facility with several towers emerging above and below the main structure. Like all Minbari constructs it was made from blue and purple crystal though in this case of notably darker hues.

“It's known as the Guardian Star, the front door to Minbar and one of their oldest and most revered locations. It dates back to the time of Valen and has been visible in their sky for generations. Removing it will have a catastrophic affect on Minbari morale.”

“Looks impressive.” Sheridan examined the image. “Are those all weapon mounts?”

“Yes, the Centauri did some surveys in the recent past, the information is on your data crystal.” Jha'dur pointed out. “it will not be easy, as the Minbari defence grid is the strongest we know, that space station is also the most heavily armed single point in the galaxy.”

“And we have to kill it with nine ships?”

“Ten, Lefcourt is sending reinforcements.” The Dilgar updated him. “Too much of a challenge Captain Sheridan?”

“I'll get back to you on that.”

“No pointless bravado, well done Captain.” Jha'dur turned back. “While Earth strikes the main station I will lead the Third Strike fleet in eliminating the other targets and supressing any Minbari warships in the area. We aim to have this raid completed in fifteen to twenty minutes.”

“Understood.” Varma accepted. “We should return to our ships and begin.”

“My hangar crews need another ten minutes before you can depart, they are unfortunately not as efficient as I am used to. My apologies.” The Warmaster said with a tightened expression. “Please feel free to wait here and examine our data on Minbar. We will leave you alone and move to the next room.”

The Dilgar trio made their way out leaving the two humans to consider the situation.

“Think they are still monitoring us?” Sheridan gazed around the room as if scanning for listening devices.

“Perhaps so.” Varma acknowledged. “They will learn little. We have our orders, we will make sure they are authentic, then we will join Captain MacDougan to execute them.”

“Could they be fake?”

“Not impossible, but the Dilgar were not renowned for their information warfare. Competent but not as creative as our own experts. I think this is genuine, it conforms with my thoughts on the next stage of this conflict.”

“To take the war directly to the Minbari. Remind them what a fight really is.”

“In that respect the Warmaster is correct, the Minbari do not understand war. Branmer perhaps does, his actions indicate far more energy and an understanding of the realities of battle. The Minbari actions in general show this cognitive disconnect, the Minbari way of war simply does not consider the possibility of defeat. This is why they have been fatally slow to react.”

“But that will change if Branmer gains more power.” Sheridan guessed. “Which is why ending the war decisively is our top priority.”

“The Dilgar can help us do this, therefore I welcome their aid. We must make the Minbari understand how wrong they are, and how much danger they are in. Show them their mortality and dramatic as it may sound make them fear us.”

“This raid could do that, and with minimal casualties. A short sharp shock to their system.”

“Maybe so.” Varma nodded. “Though it is unlike the Dilgar to make a gesture. They wouldn't simply try to scare the Minbari, they would just give them a real reason to truly fear them.”

“How do you mean?”

“I'm not sure. I must speak to the Warmaster again. Wait for me in the shuttle Captain.”

“Will you be okay alone? We're pilgrims in an unholy land.”

“It is why I am here Captain. Have faith.”

*

“You didn't tell the humans the whole plan.”

The three Dilgar officers settled down in a nearby wardroom, Shai'jhur curious about her Warmaster's policy.

“The orbital bombardment?” Jha'dur recognised. “I thought it would be a nice surprise.”

“They may not appreciate not having the full details.”

“Probably, but humanity appears divided on this subject. Some seem very keen to hurt the Minbari, to launch massive attacks and level their cities in retaliation. Others do not.”

“If they knew our plans you believe they would oppose them Warmaster?” Fei'nur spoke. “Despite the Minbari trying to exterminate humanity?”

“That is so.” Jha'dur replied. “Each of us understands that an attack of that nature against us would require massive and unrestricted retaliation. Likewise we expect a similar response when we launch an attack. This is why it is important to be ruthless and thorough in battle to ensure they have nothing left to retaliate with, this describes our entire philosophy of war.”

“But not humans.” Shai'jhur continued. “They seek to destroy the means of war, not the people themselves.”

“When it comes to battling fleets and the structures of war humans are just as ruthless and complete as we are, but they tend to hold back when faced with civilian populations. Even though they are next years army.” The Warmaster shrugged. “Not all of them, some seem to recognise the truth of war as we do, but their culture still holds them back from that final step. Therefore we must take it for them.”

There was a knock on the door causing the Warmaster to raise an eyebrow.

“Captain Varma.” She didn't need to ask. No Dilgar would simply knock on the door if they had urgent business, and wouldn't dream of disturbing the command staff otherwise. “This should be interesting.”

She nodded to Fei'nur who unlocked the door allowing the Earth Force Captain to enter.

“Welcome, please join us.” Jha'dur offered a seat at the wardroom table. “No Captain Sheridan?”

“I thought this would best be handled between us alone. Captain Sheridan is a man of conviction, but still somewhat fixed in his views.”

“Truly an excellent representative of his fleet.” Jha'dur smiled. “A compliment, the Earth military is a magnificent force of arms even if it has yet to recognise its full potential.”

“High praise.” Varma accepted. “The views of an old enemy can often be the most valuable assessment.”

“I agree.” Jha'dur waved over Fei'nur. “Will you eat with us Captain? Human culture values the sharing of meals still yes?”

“It does.”

Fei'nur aquired several cans from a plain locker at the edge of the room for the Warmaster. She selected an example for herself before Fei'nur offered the same choice to Varma.

“I recommend the Druhalla mix. It refers to the region of Rohric the beast in the can came from.”

“Thank you.” Varma selected the correct tin based on the label, glad she could read the rounded alien script.

“It is a simple meal but I am fond of it.” Jha'dur spoke as Shai'jhur made her own selection. “The old Warmasters insisted on a full galley on their flagships, roast meat for every meal, platters of food even as their own crews were forced on to reduced rations. My tastes have always been simpler, one should be grateful for what one has in their hands.”

“I agree Warmaster.” Varma pulled a strip on the top of the can which flash heated the contents. Fei'nur provided a bowl and utensils for the assembled table before picking up her own meal.

“Rohric canned meat, very sturdy.” The commando tossed her can up and caught it a couple of times with a grin. “I beat two Drazi to death with one of these tinss in a skirmish on Ettam. Didn't even dent the can, ate it later that day. Garfa sauce and Brin beans with Right Beast chunks, always been my favourite.”

“These animals come from lands owned by the Clan Jhur, they were quite popular when I was younger.” Jha'dur nodded to her second. “Shai'jhur's parents still run the business, they even export to the Narn these days.”

Varma noted Jha'dur ate directly from the heated can and quite rapidly like a soldier on campaign or a starving child.

“If I may ask Warmaster, why would the Dilgar offer such a major force for a mere raid?”

“Because it is a raid on Minbar, the first in a thousand years. It is historic and commanding such an event appeals to me.”

“Are you expecting significant resistance?”

“No, but I'd rather take a full fleet and not need it than go in with a few ships and find an unexpected battle group.”

“A logical answer.”

“But not a satisfying one.” Jha'dur read the expression on her face. “You have studied my people, you don't think we would limit ourselves in the face of such an opportunity.”

“No, I do not.”

“Then take these words with you Captain. We have worked hard to repair our relations with Earth, we risked much, we have bled in this war on your behalf. We would not risk all of that, I promise any human under my command will be valued as highly as a veteran Dilgar crew. I cannot guarantee their lives, or yours Captain, but we fight as equals. You have my word and my promise.”

“The word of a Warmaster is never broken.” Shai'jhur added in. “Whatever people say about us we do have honour.”

“I do not doubt this and accept with true humility.” Varma inclined her head. “My concerns are resolved.”

“Good. Feel free to take a few cans with you, You seemed to appreciate our hospitality.”

“I do and thank you Warmaster.” The human paused. “There is something else, a personal matter I request permission to discuss.”

“Am I really the one to discuss it with?” Jha'dur raised a curious eyebrow. “Proceed if you wish.”

“I have a daughter named Zhengli, in her youth she suffered severe frostbite causing the ends of her fingers to be amputated.”

“Frostbite?” Jha'dur queried.

“The Blood Ice.” Shai'jhur offered the Dilgar localisation.

“Of course, there are still many phrases and terms I do not know.” The Warmaster shrugged. “Frostbite sounds better than our term. Please continue.”

“She was given cybernetic replacements and they are functional, but it is no secret Dilgar cybernetics are the best in the galaxy.” Varma explained. “My request is for my daughter to be provided with examples of those Dilgar cybernetics.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because Warmaster you are the director of the Cybernetics division and I find it most productive to take any request straight to the top.”

“And you think I would care about the fingers of a random human girl?” Jha'dur tilted her head. “Perhaps you have not studied our people as thoroughly as you believe.”

“Perhaps, but it is my responsibility as a mother to always seek the very best for my child, especially in these matters.”

“Responsibilities of a mother? What an interesting concept.” Jha'dur's tone took a cold shift. “I quite like humans but do not mistake my interest for some sort of desire to please.”

“That is not my intention Warmaster, if I have caused offense I apologise and withdraw the request.”

“Very well. If there is no further business then I believe your shuttle is ready. We have a battle to fight Captain.”

“We will be ready.”

“Then may the blood of our enemies soak our boots to the knee.”

Captain Varma departed with a salute which the Warmaster answered.

“Am I now considered so friendly that complete strangers ask me for favours?” Jha'dur chuckled as she addressed her comrades. “Am I now a good luck charm which grants wishes?”

Fei'nur laughed along as she dug into her fourth can of food, Shai'jhur did not.

“She knows your reputation Warmaster, it wasn't an idle request.”

“Ah yes, the expert speaks.” Jha'dur leaned over. “Is this the first time you have met your former lover since you were broken apart by the war?”

“We have been in contact but yes, the first time face to face.”

“You hid it quite well, both of you.” Jha'dur allowed a small compliment. “But I suppose the past is the past, she has moved on, had a child.”

“She didn't give birth, the child is adopted.” Shai'jhur countered.

“Is that so.” Jha'dur held a neutral expression.

“A war orphan from one of their internal conflicts. The child has followed her mother into the fleet, as I understand it she was hastily commissioned as a junior officer to replace casualties.”

“Very noble.”

“It is probably her way of paying back her mother for the kindness of taking her in, to dedicate herself to the cause Kaveri cares most about.” Shai'jhur chose her phrasing carefully.

“I can see what you are doing.” Jha'dur chided. “Trying to draw parallels with my childhood, the death of my parents, Gar'shan taking me in and your assumption that I only joined the Navy to live up to his expectations.”

“It did seem odd you chose the Navy instead of military intelligence. I understand you started in research but transferring to front line combat was...”

“Was following the path of my parents?” Jha'dur finished. “You'll need to try harder than that. In fact why are you trying to change my mind?”

“It is the right thing to do, and beneficial to diplomatic relations.”

“So is killing a billion Minbari, which is also a far better use of my time and talent.”

“Our cybernetics are virtually perfect, Fei'nur is a testament to that, but surely the next step is adapting to alien biology?” Shai'jhur reasoned.

“Why would I want to do that?”

“Because it is something you can't do right now. And nothing infuriates you more than knowing you can't do something.”

“Careful old friend.”

“I am not wrong.” Shai'jhur pressed. “You savour the challenge, of being the first to achieve what others call impossible. This is such a thing, and it improves relations with Earth, and this child is perhaps not so different from...”

“Don't finish that sentence, that is going too far.”

“As you wish, but my other points stand.”

“You of course have no personal interest in this?”

“I wouldn't insult you with a lie, of course I have an interest. But this is something which has many positives and no negatives. It is worth embracing.”

“Then I will make a deal with you Shai'jhur. Get that Alacan off my ship and I will help your ex lover.” Jha'dur spoke. “It is several hours of my life but worth it if I no longer have to deal with that overly eager little feline tripping over my heels.”

“Warmaster Dal'shan personally assigned her to me.”

“Yes, yes, he does like his little jokes.” Jha'dur exhaled. “Find a way and I'll help your friend after the war is over.”

“I'll see to it Warmaster.”

“Better go tell her before she leaves.” The Warmaster waved her away. “Go, catch her up, tell her it is for expanding the bounds of medicine.”

“I will Warmaster.”

“And take some of those cans, she forgot to pick them up.”

Jha'dur settled back in her seat as Shai'jhur made a hasty departure, Fei'nur opening a fifth can.

“She still likes the human. Seeing her again awakened something in her.”

“Is that why you arranged this meeting Warmaster?”

“In part. Shai'jhur is important to the future, we should have closer contact with Earth and of us all she is probably the one I'd choose as Ambassador.”

“If she takes a human mate it could enrage both sides.”

“Or display that we are not a race defined by hatred of aliens.” Jha'dur mused. “I thought the brain was the most complicated part of the body but it has nothing on the heart.”

“Sounds like a gamble.”

“It is. The entire point of this exercise is to tie us to humans on one side, and if we are careful the Minbari on the other. We're using different approaches but the end result is the same. Shai'jhur could be a huge asset when it comes to dealing with Earth, or she may enrage them. Right now I can't tell.”

The Warmaster exhaled.

“The future will tell, speculation isn't going to get us anywhere. When the humans leave we'll set course for the rest of the Strike Fleet and the bombardment ships coming in from Omelos. We must move quickly to ensure the element of surprise and prevent any interference.”

She grinned.

“And because I can't wait to see what happens next.”


	19. Chapter 19

19

Minbar

“I cannot adequately express my gratitude Vizier Muruk, I didn't expect the Protectorate worlds to mobilise this quickly.”

“Thank you Shai Alyt. In honesty though we had already begun gathering our strength before you requested our aid. When the Minbari patrols were recalled we understood the war had taken a turn for the worse.”

Branmer could only nod in acknowledgement as he strolled through the corridors of his flagship with the leader of the combined Protectorate fleet, an eight foot tall reptilian with claws that could gut an Ox but coupled with the demeanour of a friendly school teacher.

“Many mistakes have been made.” The Minbari leader spoke seriously. “Not just during the war but in the years before it. We are witnessing the Minbari warmachine enduring a sudden test and failing entirely. All we can do is endure, learn from those failings and hope we are still here to try again.”

“Your people are strong, the Minbari stood firm against the Ancient Shadows.” Muruk remarked.

“Only because we had Valen to inspire us, without him I fear our history would be much shorter.”

“Perhaps what you need is a new Valen then, one adequate to this task. Someone like yourself?”

“You flatter me.” Branmer chuckled. “Dukhat may have been that man, I am not. I will however do what I can in his place.”

He paused midstep.

“And the first thing I will do is apologise for not respecting the strength of the Protectorate sooner. You should have been equals to us, not wards we treated as children.”

“Our three races were all but annihilated by the Shadows, without the Minbari we would not have survived the anarchy of those years.”

“Even so Valen would never have wanted you subservient to us. It is one of our old mistakes and I will do what I can to correct it.”

“Much can change in a thousand years.” Muruk began walking again. “I have reviewed the information on the humans. We will be ready to meet them.”

“Your forces are mostly light ships, escorts, patrol vessels, a few frigates.” Branmer listed. “I need you to bolster our planetary garrisons, your crews have experience fighting Raiders and defending orbital facilities. We need that.”

“If you order it then it will be so, but I admit my people yearn for front line battles.”

“In time Vizier. But make no mistake this task is dangerous, human warships have been attacking our middle range colonies with increasing boldness. I guarantee your ships will see battle.”

“Then we will meet it with courage and subtlety. Our ships are Minbari built but without the same technology, without stealth we had to learn to fight a conventional battle.”

“Lessons I hope you can teach those Minbari ships also assigned to garrison duty.” Branmer requested. “Before we were too arrogant to heed such lessons, today they will listen to your words.”

“And we shall speak without conceit. The first fleet is waiting for your orders nearby, I will deploy them as directed.”

“My second, Alyt Neroon will provide the orders. He is organising our redeployment.”

“Very well, in that case I should return to my cruiser.”

“Once again thank you.” Branmer bowed. “We will speak much in the future Vizier, Valen warned this era would be one of great challenges ending with the return of the Shadows. We must all be ready.”

“You are a rare man Branmer, skilled with words and warships alike. I am eager to see where you lead us. In Valen's name Shai Alyt.”

“In Valen's name.”

The great Reptilian bowed and departed in a shimmer of robes. There were three main protectorate homeworlds that at one point had been major players in the galaxy rivalling the Minbari. They had been closer to Shadow space and bore the brunt of the early attacks in the years before Valen buying time for the Minbari to mobilise and fight back.

After the war Valen had ordered the Minbari protect these loyal allies and so it had been, but when Valen had left no one had thought to change his orders. Many imagined Valen had only wanted to defend these worlds until they recovered, others however deemed they would be forever under Minbari protection. Thus they became a permanent Protectorate safe under the shield of the Minbari Navy but unable to exercise true independence.

The Protectorate didn't have a true Navy but did have a surprisingly competent protection fleet tasked with guarding trade routes and borders from moderate threats. Though they didn't field anything bigger than a light cruiser they had fought numerous skirmishes with neighbouring minor nations and raiders giving them a level of practical experience the main Minbari force could not match.

While the Protectorate used older Minbari ships those vessels did not have stealth technology meaning the Protectorate fleet had never relied on it as a crutch. They had been forced to fight conventionally which was a skill set Branmer was very keen to exploit.

“I am surprised they are so eager to help after being dismissed so often by the Council.”

“They have a lot to prove to us.” Branmer answered the statement. “They see this as an opportunity to grow, to stand with us as equals. I am happy to give them the chance.”

“Greater autonomy for the Protectorate is something we have discussed before.” The new speaker stood beside Branmer, tiny in her grey robes. “My father always favoured it.”

“Your father was a wise man Delenn, and a good friend.” Branmer smiled with a moment of sadness. “His passing diminishes us all.”

“I will carry on the work he began, ending this war first of all.”

“Good. Regarding the Protectorate we won't have much choice, right now our fleet is far too weak to defend them. They need to expand their own military, I want the council to approve heavy cruiser construction yards for their key homeworlds.”

“You want them to grow from patrol fleets to a full war fleet?”

“I do, not just for this war.” Branmer expanded. “The Shadows will fall upon us again, the Protectorate will likely take the first wave as they did before. They need to be strong enough to meet that threat.”

“Many in the Council still do not believe the warning of Valen, they don't believe in the return of the Shadows.”

“It does not matter, I have used this war to sweep away anything that might hold us back when that day comes. All we need to do now is survive.”

“Speaking of, we need to talk about Sineval.” Delenn suggested. “Privately.”

The duo made their way deeper into the ship heading for Branmer's personal quarters. They passed a pair of silent guards and entered a dimly lit room, Branmer's meditation chamber. Instantly he paused and looked around him.

“Someone has been in here.”

“I have, just after my return from Omelos.” Delenn admitted. “There is something you need to see. Someone you need to see.”

A bulk moved in the dim corner of the room, large but utterly silent. It glided out of the darkness, shrouded and alien viewing the world through a single illuminated disk in its oblong head.

“A Vorlon?” The most powerful man in the Federation spoke with the awe of a child.

“Not just one.” Delenn smiled at his reaction remembering her own. Behind her a second Vorlon stirred, this one keeping a distance. “I arranged for Dukhat's shrine to be brought over here. I had been preserving it but I think it belongs to you. You are the one to lead us into the new future Shai Alyt, it is you the Vorlons should be speaking with in Dukhat's place.”

“How long have they been here?”

“A while now, nobody beside us and Sech Turval knows they are here. Not even the rest of the Council.”

“They have come to prepare us for the Shadow war?”

“Yes, but we must not move openly, not yet. There is much work yet to do.” Delenn spoke sincerely, a strong resolve in her voice. “We must start by making peace with the humans. They are important to the future, Dukhat wanted us to be friends and allies, we must end this conflict.”

“I agree.” Branmer addressed the nearest Vorlon. “How do we do this?”

The Vorlon did not reply.

“How do we make peace?”

“They do not answer often.” Delenn cut in with her own note of disappointment. “I have asked the same question, they do not answer. Perhaps they don't need to, we may have a way.”

“Sineval?” Branmer turned to her. “What did the Rangers find?”

“Clear evidence the Windswords have been conspiring with the Drakh.” Delenn answered. “We found Sineval's body beside that of a Drakh, they were apparently discussing weapons of mass destruction when a failure in the atmosphere scrubbers poisoned them both.We recovered several data crystals and found a cache of Drakh biological weapons due to be sent to Sineval.”

“That sounds remarkably convenient.” Branmer frowned. “Who tipped you off?”

“Guess.”

“Deathwalker.” Branmer didn't need to speculate. “The Narn suspected that during the war the Dilgar were in contact with agents of chaos. It would be trivial for one such as her to manipulate events to give us this result.”

“Yes, it seems likely.” Delenn agreed. “The data crystals were Minbari in origin but we traced them to the inventory of a missing Worker caste transport, not any Warrior Caste stocks.”

“The Windswords wouldn't use Worker Caste crystals. They are forgeries then?”

“Yes, but hard to spot. Aside from the Rangers I doubt many would be able to tell.” Delenn confirmed. “It is all but certain Deathwalker created this, provided us with both the forgeries and the weapons.”

“And with two dead bodies.” Branmer observed. “Including my main political rival.”

Branmer exhaled as he processed the information, acutely aware that the Vorlons were probably analysing his every response.

“She is giving us a doorway out of this.” Branmer concluded. “Good enough to pass scrutiny and be accepted as truth, but not so perfect that we don't know she was the one behind it.”

“Why? So we owe her a favour?” Delenn asked.

“Probably. No, no more than that. We know it is a lie, and if we accept this it means we will be lying to the whole galaxy in order to stop this war.”

“Minbari do not lie.” Delenn recited. “Except when we do.”

“It will expose us as hypocrites, but only to her. This is her victory over us, proving to all concerned that our morals are as flexible as hers.” Branmer scoffed. “Yes, that's exactly the sort of thing she would do, the lengths she would go to for such a demonstration.”

“We don't have to use it.” Delenn suggested. “We could find our own way out of this war.”

“Our efforts thus far have been disastrous.” Branmer spoke honestly. “We know Deathwalker has influence with the humans, it is likely she will use it to make sure her plan works. This is our best chance, and it will finally destroy the Windswords. In practical terms it gives us everything we want.”

“All we have to do is lie, sacrifice our honour.”

“Sacrifice it to Deathwalker.” Branmer chuckled. “We do not lie, but there are exceptions. To save the honour of our people, to save lives. It is a small price to pay.”

“Convincing the Council may be difficult, Satai Morann is deeply invested in this war.” Delenn looked ahead.

“He is a Windsword, his denials will be dismissed as he too is implicated as being a puppet of the Drakh.” Branmer shrugged. “It is a very neat way out.”

“Many of our people will not accept it, and they will likely blame you Shai Alyt for capitulating.”

“It will not be a surrender, just peace.”

“I doubt it will be seen that way.”

“Perhaps, but we can change perceptions. We can't change being dead.”

His planning was interrupted by the chime of an incoming signal from the control deck.

“This is Branmer, do you have something?”

“Shai Alyt, we have a report from Alyt Neroon. He has detected unusual hyperspace activity just off the main beacon.”

“Define unusual.”

“Possible unknown but very large vessels. In excess of three thousand meters.”

“We don't have any ships that big.” Delenn interjected. “The only people who use such large ships are the humans, deep range exploration ships.”

“Tell him to go to alert status, did Vizier Muruk make it back to his fleet?”

“Yes Shai Alyt.”

“Tell him to go an alert too, also warn orbital command and the Council.”

“At once Shai Alyt.”

He closed the channel and fixed Delenn with a reluctant smile.

“Perhaps all we have discussed will become pointless anyway. If the humans are here in force we might not have the option of honourable surrender.”

“We weren't expecting them to find our homeworld so quickly.” Delenn spoke with obvious concern. “Will they attack the planet itself? Our cities?”

“Our leadership told the humans in very clear terms we were going to exterminate them, we haven't retreated from that position. We should not expect mercy if we ourselves had none to give.” Branmer gritted his teeth. “Here is the moment we reap what we have sown.”

“I should return to the Council.”

“You won't make it, not to the ship or the surface. Here is the safest place for you now.” Branmer resolved. “I will make sure our homeworld does not fall. Stay with the Vorlons, if they have any wisdom to offer bring it to me.”

“And if they do not?”

“You are a Satai of the Religious Caste. Pray.”

*

“Final reports from our forward recon elements Warmaster.” Shai'jhur hand delivered a sheet of readouts. “The two hundred plus ships we monitored entering the system have not left. All of our units are in position and ready to initiate operations.”

Jha'dur passed a ghost of a frown, the only indication that she was not pleased with the news she was being given.

“Those vessels were Protectorate ships. We don't have much information on them, but we do know they are light warships. Mostly corvettes and frigates with a handful of outdated light cruisers.”

“They don't appear to be a front line fighting force. More of an Orbital Guard force.”

“Most likely. Still, they are an unknown variable, we don't have enough information on them to make an accurate assessment.” Jha'dur pursed her lips. “I dislike unknown elements, in every battle there is an element of chance but two hundred largely unknown ships is irritating.”

“By now the Minbari have probably spotted us. If we are going to abort the mission we must do so now Warmaster.”

“No.” The senior officer shook her head. “This mission is too important, we have planned for the possibility of a superior enemy force, we will proceed.”

“As you order Warmaster.”

“Take us into jump formation, set arrival point and standby.”

Shai'jhur set to work, the slight figure striding around the command deck organising the fleet. While Jha'dur handled the strategy Shai'jhur managed the various task forces of the Third Strike Fleet, a task she settled into with practiced ease.

“Captain MacDougan.” Jha'dur contacted the leader of the human detachment. “We will begin operations, what is your status?”

“Everything is ready, we'll go on your word Warmaster.”

“Very good. Be advised the Minbari have received moderate reinforcements. My fleet will deal with them and pin down any Minbari mobile elements. Your mission hasn't changed Captain, destroy the battlestation and then withdraw.”

“Understood.” He replied curtly. “We're in position.”

“Then it is time Captain, congratulations on becoming the first hostile ships to breach the Minbari System for a thousand years. Jump when ready.”

*

MacDougan for his part wasn't thrilled to be taking orders from a war criminal, a sentiment he shared with most of his command, but he couldn't deny Jha'dur was a master of warfare and she had managed to somehow put five hundred ships within striking range of the Minbari homeworld without tripping any alarms. Personal distaste aside she was the best officer to lead this attack, Earth Force Command knew it too, and so he would swallow his bile and do his duty.

“Explorer group, Task Force Command.” He took a breath and set to work. “Initiate jump and maintain data link. Omega group, standby to jump once we have full recon data.”

With that the die was cast, there was no further time for second guesses or doubts. The trio of Explorer ships under his command moved up toward the beacon, if the Minbari hadn't spotted them before they surely would now. Battle was inevitable, a battle planned and laid out by the Dilgar commanded by their most fearsome commander. The EA fleet would do its part, but it did feel a lot like they were just one part of a larger scheme.

The EAS DeSoto was once again part of the operation, this time making the jump in conjunction with her comrades the Cortez and Magellan. Once again they arrived at a safe distance, though as this was the home system of the Minbari Federation safety was a relative concept.

“Begin full scan, coordinate with the other two ships.” Captain Varma gave the nod. “Whatever happens this is a golden opportunity to gather information on the Minbari, we must not waste it.”

“Receiving data on Minbari forces, planetary defences, the battlestation is exactly where expected.”

“Copy that to the Achilles and the Dilgar forces.”

“Done Captain, triangulating optimal jump coordinates for the fleet.”

“Very good.” The Captain kept a very sharp eye on the movements within the Minbari defenders. There was no danger at the moment but if she determined her command was at risk she had authority to withdraw.

“As soon as you complete the calculations relay them back to the fleet.”

*

“Human long range exploration vessels.” Branmer easily identified the three targets. “Their regular scout cruisers were easily destroyed, but it shows impressive flexibility that they were able to adapt such specialised ships for the battlefield as replacements.”

“Shall I order an attack Shai Alyt?”

“Unnecessary.” Branmer shook his head, turning away from the holographic curtain surrounding his command chamber. “By now they have done their job of plotting jump coordinates. Ignore them, prepare for the main event.”

Almost exactly as he finished speaking the sky opened in a string of hyperspace vortexes, shimmering blue portals grandly announcing the true start of hostilities.

“Now we start.” He exhaled. “Full sweep, get me numbers and types.”

“Yes Shai Alyt.”

“Neroon, Vizier, are you tied into my communications?”

“Yes Shai Alyt.” Answered the ever calm Neroon from his own command ship.

“Protectorate fleet ready on your word.” Muruk gave his own answer.

“It would appear to be an understrength Dilgar Strike Fleet with a human task force in support.” Branmer checked the incoming data. “All of them are top of the line ships and based on the formations we should expect them to be well commanded and disciplined. A significant challenge.”

“We are outnumbered but we have the defence grid.” Muruk remarked. “They can't breach it with this many ships.”

“Our ships are also superior.” Neroon intoned. “And we boast the most experienced crews in the Federation.”

“Observe their flagship.” Branmer highlighted. “That is Jha'dur. Deathwalker herself is gracing us with her presence. This isn't going to be a conventional fight.”

“Your orders Shai Alyt?”

“Vizier, deploy behind the satellites, support them and let them support you. Neroon, gather your ships and standby as a reserve. I'll take my ships forward and see if I can determine what she is planning.”

*

“As expected Warmaster there are numerous Protectorate ships, they are moving to reinforce the satellite gun platforms.”

“They are deploying defensively, Branmer must not be confident of their skills in attack.” Jha'dur mused. “Logical enough, this is their first real battle in centuries.”

“We're also facing the main Minbari reserve fleet.” Shai'jhur brought up a few images, the unique patterns in the crystalline hulls making it possible to identify individual ships. “There is Branmer's command vessel, and Neroon moving to take a central position with his task force.”

“And look at this one.” Jha'dur's eyes widened. “The one with the green tinge to the hull, a different type of crystal. That's the Valen'tha.”

“The ship of the Grey Council.” Shai'jhur examined it with clear interest. “Still showing damage from the EAS Prometheus.”

“We really did catch them by surprise.” The Warmaster beamed. “Very well, my compliments to Captain MacDougan, update him on our position and then release him to engage the battlestation. He may use his own initiative regarding the mission, we're going to be too busy with Branmer.”

The fleets began to move, the Earth Force component breaking away from the main Dilgar group and traveling to a new position on the far flank directly above the Minbari capital city, Yedorr. Between the city and the warships sat the battlestation, the Lokka'Fi or Guardian Star. The key stone of the defences serving not only as a formidable obstacle in its own right but also the control centre for the various automated satellites and defensive fighter squadrons surrounding the planet.

As the Earth ships took position the Dilgar deployed for direct combat lining up just outside effective range of the satellites. The two sides staring at each other, taking their measure before taking any action.

“He's staying close to the satellites. Not very imaginative.” Shai'jhur projected the respective formations in a holographic display. “But very effective.”

“He's waiting to see what we do. He won't just hold there.” Jha'dur determined. “He doesn't have any reinforcements coming, he can't let us sit here and cut off his homeworld. Besides he's been fighting humans, he knows you win battles by inflicting as much damage as possible.”

“Shall we release the attack squadrons?”

“No. Bring up the bombardment ships.” Jha'dur smiled. “Let's see how he reacts to that.”

*

“The human forces appear to be lining up on the battlestation.” Neroon reported. “They intend to attack with only six ships?”

“Very bold, but foolish. Authorise the station to arm it's siege breakers.” Branmer ordered. “Once they have cleared the human ships they can turn to engage Dilgar forces.”

“The Dilgar are holding position outside range.” Muruk added. “Shall we advance?”

“No, the station can handle them.” Branmer kept an even expression. “They are probably using old Centauri intelligence, they have a good impression of our satellite defences but the true strength of our great battlestation is going to be an unpleasant surprise.”

He reviewed the tactical display, the disposition of his forces and the enemy. He did have a solid position but simply sitting back and allowing the enemy a free run of the system was a mistake. He had a trump card with the battlestation and its incredible firepower but he had learned not to put all his faith in a single asset.

“Neroon, the humans are deploying to the far left flank. The forces there are fairly light, I want you to move forward and split them. Divide the humans and Dilgar.”

“Yes Shai Alyt.”

“No need to press too hard, just apply some pressure and see if they react.” Branmer ordered. “Once the station engages prevent the Dilgar from supporting the human ships.”

“On my way.”

“All other forces hold position for now, engage any targets that come into range.”

A few flotillas moved away from the main Minbari force in a cautious formation, frigates and light ships forward with a handful of warcruisers at the rear. These were Neroon's personal cohort of warriors who had been more open to Branmer's vision and had managed to survive the great battles so far, they mixed the lifetime of training all warriors had with the flexibility and initiative Neroon had brought them. Ship for ship they were probably the best of the Minbari, but also very few in number.

Those forces now made Branmer's play launching fighters and angling for the Dilgar flank. They largely ignored the EA ships for now and lined up on the fairly light cruiser and frigate pentacans Jha'dur was using to pin her flank.

As they did so the immense battlestation came to life, fighters bleeding from a dozen bays as it slowly began to align toward its targets. The station also carried a compliment of gunships, small stubby craft more usually seen in the service of the Anla'shok and rarely deployed far from home. They and the fighters set the course for the human fleet to keep them busy while the station prepared for battle.

*

“Captain, enemy forces on the move. Dilgar fleet responding.”

“Hold station.” MacDougan acknowledged. “Will they cross into our sector?”

“Not if they keep on course.”

“Then we'll stick to the job in hand. All vessels engage hostiles as they enter range. Release fighter squadrons, intercept enemy light craft and keep them at a distance.”

Engines flared blue as the various Starfury squadrons advanced, three squadrons from each Omega fanning out to intercept the incoming Minbari light craft. Behind them at a further distance the Explorer ships also deployed their airwings putting them into a holding pattern to cover the more vulnerable vessels.

The two sides collided in a sudden flash of energy, the opposing squadrons wheeling and rolling in evasive patterns. Explosions began to mark the clash as craft on both sides began to fall.

“Interceptors, engage at will, watch for friendlies.”

Several hundred miles behind the DeSoto finally finished its scan, the information collating into an accurate picture of the minbari home system.

“Captain MacDougan, we have everything.” Varma informed. “Recommend we move on to our final phase.”

“Very good Captain, call up the Gandiva and get her in here.”

“At once. I should also note some unusually high energy emissions from the Minbari station.”

“Energy emissions? What type?”

“Unknown Captain, but it is unlikely to be anything pleasant. Please use caution.”

“Understood, bring up our support and hopefully we'll finish this without ever finding out.”

“Message away.”

“Captain!” Her second cut in. “Jump points forming near the Dilgar line.”

“Identify.”

“They are Dilgar ships, old ones. Captain I'm detecting Mass Drivers attached to several of those ships.”

She muttered slightly under her breath before responding.

“Captain MacDougan, there is another development.”

*

“The flank can hold for a while, Neroon isn't pressing it hard.” Jha'dur observed. “Move some reserves up but do not commit them yet.”

“Bombardment groups one and two are in position behind our main force.” Shai'jhur reported. “They are loading drivers and preparing to engage.”

“Watch Branmer.” Jha'dur smiled. “This will determine what calibre of a man he is.”

“Warmaster, signal from the human fleet.”

“As anticipated, patch it through.” She paused a second. “Captain MacDougan, do you require assistance?”

“I require an explanation for the deployment of Mass Drivers. Those weapons are banned by international treaty.”

“I will not be using them against the planet Captain, just the satellites. The Minbari defence grid is unmatched, if I move into range and engage with ships I'll lose most of my fleet. Instead I will snipe them from a distance, just as you plan Captain.”

“If you miss and one of those rocks hits the surface...”

“I don't miss Captain.” Jha'dur assured. “I will not use Mass Drivers against civilian targets or the surface, you have my word.”

“Warmaster, we are ready.” Shai'jhur cut in.

“Begin the attack.” She nodded. “Observe if you wish Captain, my targets are purely the satellites.”

Each of the bombardment ships took their shot in turn, the skeletal weapon array pulsing with magnetic force before lobbing a relatively small lump of rock downrange toward Minbar. Each Mass Driver was loaded with a smaller projectile than they could have used, the lesser mass allowing a greater speed though 'small' was a relative term.

The Minbari responded quickly, their green beams reaching out and cutting into each rock, smashing them down, reducing them to fragments, but even with their power it took time. The sheer density and mass of the rocks needed several hits each from multiple satellites. A scatter of pebbles bounced off the Minbari hulls harmlessly and flitterd down toward the planet fizzing in the upper atmosphere.

“I will use the bombardment to remove the satellites from the equation, either by destroying them or forcing them to engage the incoming rocks.” Jha'dur declared. “That lets me face their fleet ship to ship, a simple strategy Captain MacDougan. Focus on your sector Captain, in the interests of unity I will overlook your concerns to this point but from now on I expect obedience. Continue with the next stage.”

The next stage was for Earth Force to deploy its own long range bombardment ship, in this case the EAS Gandiva. The vessel arrived in a flurry of coruscating light, a massive vessel emerging near the trio of Explorer ships a safe distance from the front line. The Gandiva was essentially the hull of an Explorer that had been two thirds finished when the war began, it had the same engines and crew sections suspended around the long gridwork hull but lacked the massive sensor arrays. Instead firing down the centreline of the ship from within the cage like hull were a quartet of spinal laser cannons.

Earth had been trying for years to make spinal lasers work, based on Hyach weapons they were incredibly powerful and accurate but also intensely power hungry. Earth could build the weapons but not the miniaturized cooling and power systems that allowed it to fit on a warship. The sole prototype fitted to a Nova hull, the Cyclops, had been deemed a failure. However on an Explorer class hull size was suddenly no longer an issue, Earth Force could simply pack the space with as many secondary reactors and cooling systems as needed and when finished decided to add three more guns to really get the most from the design. Due to its size it wasn't going to hit a moving target which the EA had hoped for, but for engaging fixed targets it was ideal.

The Gandiva, named for the legendary bow from Hindu mythology, was the only ship of her type and had been rushed into action for this mission, she was Earth Force's special weapon and as far as anyone knew she packed more raw firepower than anything else in space.

“Gandiva in position, transmitting targeting data.”

“Tie it into the sensor feed.” Captain Varma ordered. “Ensure it has real time information on the target.”

“Aye Captain.”

“What is the station doing?”

“Still building energy.”

“The Gandiva should already be fully charged, we will fire first.” Varma observed. “Make certain they do not miss.”

The artillery ship adjusted position, its four kilometer long guns releasing safety mechanisms and opening their protective gunports there to stop foreign objects scratching the lenses. All four guns would fire at once to converge on the target to give the effect of a single immensely powerful beam that could defeat any known armour.

It was a precision weapon, but at these ranges even a tiny error could see the weapon miss. If it did sitting directly behind the station was the city of Yedorr which would of course suffer catastrophic damage. Everything relied on precision, if the targeting data was wrong or the ship fired at the wrong instant it could derail the entire goal of demonstrating power but without inflicting massive casualties.

“Thirty seconds until full charge.” The sensor officer reported. “Gandiva is aligned and on target.”

*

“I was expecting something like this, an attempt to remove our fixed defences and force a ship to ship battle.” Branmer carefully watched the new arrivals. “We will oblige, Deathwalker clearly expects us to attack her bombardment ships, she knows we can't ignore them.”

“The Mass Drivers.” Delenn stepped up beside her older colleague, keen to see how the battle was fought.

“Those aren't the best target, look behind them, the depot ships carrying spare ammunition.” Branmer pointed. “And there, the maintenance shuttles that move the rocks into the driver. They are easier targets than the warships themselves, fighters alone can neutralise them which is why she has deployed her escort frigates near them. Powerful anti fighter ships.”

“So we can't use fighters, and if we go after them with warships...”

“Her main battle line intercepts us. Cleverly deployed.” Branmer allowed. “She has covered every eventuality, except one. She expects a methodical attack, a careful measured advance as we have always done. She has not accounted for our new friends.”

Branmer smiled toward the protectorate ships.

“Vizier Muruk, I need your help.”

“We are ready Shai Alyt.”

“Patch me through to all your ships, I wish to speak to you all.”

“Proceed Shai Alyt.”

“I need you to destroy the depot ships servicing the Mass Drivers. They are protected by Dilgar escort frigates, a dangerous enemy but you are superior.”

“We are Shai Alyt, we will leave none alive.”

“Use all your skill and fury Vizier, the warriors of the Protectorate earned their place with blood and fire, you did not have technology or numbers, only the skill of your crews and resolve of your hearts. Minbar needs you today, billions of lives may depend on it.”

He set his jaw.

“Many of you will not survive, perhaps none of you, but we fight side by side as equals and whatever your fate shall also be mine. Will you join me Vizier?”

“To the death Shai Alyt!” Muruk replied with battle lust building, Branmer's words firing his spirit alongside his people. “In Valens name!”

“In Valens name.” Branmer intoned more sombrely. “Begin the attack.”

Without anything else the Protectorate ships broke cover and began to accelerate toward the Dilgar, the warrior race cheering and raising their voices in war chants they gleefully broadcast on all channels. It was the exact opposite of how a Minbari fleet would act, the ships taking wild evasive twists and rolls as they threw themselves into battle without hesitation.

“All vessels, advance in support.” Branmer ordered his own ships ahead. “Engage Dilgar cruisers and heavy units. Keep them from flanking the Protectorate fleet.”

The more stately wall of Minbari heavy ships began to advance, a few groups of Sharlins bulked up by smaller cruisers and filled out with frigates. Rocks still fell toward the planet, Branmer would have to trust the fixed defences to handle it for now which was a gamble but a calculated one.

“What about the human attack?” Delenn asked. “They have a siege ship.”

“I'll send in the fighter reserves, their large ship seems poorly defended and fragile.” Branmer decided. “Otherwise we must trust to the battlestation.”

“Shai Alyt.” A voice called over. “The Valen'tha wishes to join us.”

“The Grey Council ship? Let me speak to them.”

A holographic panel resolved to show Coplann, the stern Satai nodding curtly.

“Shai Alyt, we stand ready.”

“I respect your courage but you must remain in reserve.”

“I command a warcruiser Shai Alyt, one of precious few we have left. No commander can afford to waste such an asset.”

“The Dilgar would make you a priority target to...” He paused. “But perhaps not the humans. Assist Neroon Satai Coplann, join his unit, he is tasked with driving a wedge between the human and Dilgar forces.”

“As you order.”

The screen went blank returning Branmer to the view of the closing Dilgar battle line.

“It is dangerous, but I think the Valen'tha will endure a human attack.” Delenn nodded.

“Earth may attack her but their ships are few and have other concerns. Perhaps she can clear away some of those fighters and let us engage their sensor ships.”

The two main fleets began to engage, Branmer's core fleet keeping up a steady advance and holding a tight formation in the face of the larger but more loosely deployed Dilgar Pentacans. Fire was exchanged, the lighter ships on both sides moving to the flanks to give the heavier vessels clear lines of fire.

At the same time the Protectorate forces surged forward looping underneath the main Dilgar line fixed on the bombardment group. They ran into the escorting frigates with a fearsome and savage exchange of fire, the two groups tearing pieces from each other's hulls and merging into the closest thing frigates could manage to a fighter dogfight.

“Well done Branmer, very well done.” Jha'dur grinned widely. “Look at that recklessness, absolute commitment to battle with no consideration for survival. I haven't seen that sort of pure combat since Balos. Outstanding.”

“The Minbari themselves would never allow themselves to be so savage so we never accounted for it. A suicidal fury.” Shai'jhur acknowledged. “They think too highly of themselves to indulge in such fighting.”

“But Branmer knows that without an edge in technology or numbers what wins wars is fury, courage, that fire in the blood a real soldier feels.” Jha'dur enthused. “Earth has it, we have it, most of the League never did. The Minbari don't have it but Branmer is clever enough to import it from his outer worlds. Yes, yes this man is absolutely a peer. This is a leader we can reach an accord with.”

The two officers watched the Minbari groups engaging, one calm and controlled, the other wild and aggressive.

“He's keeping his main fleet in close formation to make up for his lack of numbers, making sure they cover each other. It will be costly to break them apart.”

“Looking at his position he wants to pin us here so we can't engage his Protectorate group.” Shai'jhur observed. “If we move to assist our forces there Branmer can break through, use his massed ships to achieve local superiority and smash clean through our centre.”

“This is turning into a real contest. So much the better.” Jha'dur nodded. “Commit fighter and strike squadrons against the Protectorate fleet. Give them another problem to overcome.”

“Yes Warmaster.”

“Then order Capital Pentacans to advance and engage the Minbari fleet more closely. Increase the pressure against him and have the bombardment ships switch to full sized asteroids.”

“Full sized shots from the Mass Drivers are likely to result in damage to the surface even if the satellites intercept them.”

“Yes. Your point?” Jha'dur raised an eyebrow.

“Understood, orders going out.”

*

With battle now fully joined the various commanders now had to rely on the skill and capabilities of their subordinates. Pentacan commanders remained mobile, rotating ships in and out of combat as damage began to accrue. Minbari captains steadfastly remained in formation, holding position even as Dilgar heavy weapons left their ships scarred with glowing hull breaches. Protectorate forces weaved through their enemies to take shots at the vulnerable Mass Driver squadrons, rapidly finding themselves under attack by fresh Dilgar Dartfighters armed with nuclear missiles.

MacDougan kept a close watch on those developments and especially Neroon's task force which was inching through the Dilgar flank and making overtures toward his Explorer group. Those ships could easily jump away if in danger of course, but doing so would rob him of his eyes and ears. Of greater priority though was the siege ship.

“Gandiva reports weapons armed, she's about to fire.”

“All ships, all fighters, watch her line of fire.” MacDougan warned. “Standby to move once the station is gone.”

In the distance the large warship made completed preparations and initiated its firing sequence, the reactors dumping into capacitors which in turn discharged into the final chamber. Four clustered beams of significant power burst from the prow of the vessel, cooling gas discharging in glimmering clouds of white ice reflecting the red of the beams. Despite the range the impact was almost instant, the station flashing as the beams connected before vanishing in a bright white glow of superheated material.

The ship adjusted very slightly walking the beams across the massive station cutting deep into its hull and severing its internal structure in a cataclysmic display of heat, molten material and plasma. When the beams finally stopped there was only a dense cloud of shimmering heat where the station had been.

“Direct hit!”

“Is the station destroyed?” Captain Varma did not allow a moment of relief yet.

“Unable to confirm, but judging by the amount of superheated gas and...”

“I do not require judgements I require facts. Find me confirmation.”

“Yes Captain, I can't scan past the gas right now, it is cooling and dispersing rapidly.”

“Energy spike!” A warning sounded across the command deck. “It's off the chart!”

“All hands brace!” Varma ordered, there was no point trying to evade in an Explorer, if something was heading their way that would be the end of it.

A massive burst of energy erupted from the dispersing cloud, a green beam that could only be a Minbari weapon yet of far greater strength than previously encountered. It passed by most of the fleet to strike the main threat, the Gandiva. The gigantic ship folded like burning paper, twisting and contorting in the stream of energy until its reactors gave up and tore the remains of the ship apart.

“Gandiva is down!”

“What was that weapon?” Varma focused her crew.

“A fusion cannon, but massive in scale.” The report came through. “Primitive compared to other Minbari weapons.”

“But most effective.”

“I have a reading on the station, it is still there but has taken massive damage.”

“Relay that to Captain MacDougan.”

In the distance as the cloud dimmed the Minbari Battlestation revealed itself, nearly a third of its mass was gone, cut away by the Gandiva and turned into fragments and drifting chunks. That sort of damage should have destroyed any target but not the station. At its core now visible was the Fusion cannon, intact and preparing for a second shot.

“Omega group this is Achilles.” MacDougan's voice filtered through. “Close the range and engage the station directly, focus on the damaged sections and the cannon. We can still finish the mission. Explorer group continue to offer what support you can.”

Varma's expression flickered a little but the order was given.

“Missile batteries, begin saturation fire.”

“Yes Captain.”

“Bravo squadron will remain on defensive duty, Alpha squadron will advance and support the attack.” She committed her forces. “Monitor the station, try to predict its next target.”

“On it.”

“Expend all our munitions and watch those Minbari flanking forces, we don't want ourselves within their range.”

*

“The Centauri didn't mention that.” Shai'jhur remarked plainly.

“It appears their reputation as the premier spies in the galaxy is taking further damage.” Jha'dur exhaled. “What sort of enemy requires a weapon of such... ah yes, of course they do.”

“Warmaster?”

“I'll brief you in detail later, in the past the Minbari have faced enemies that probably would require such excessive firepower to confront. Perhaps this station was a relic from that era? It would explain why the weapon is such an old fashioned piece of technology by Minbari standards.”

“Earth Force is moving to engage it directly, the station is heavily damaged but still operational.”

“Again probably over engineered to survive a far more dangerous enemy than us. No matter, destroying it will now have even more significance. We have little to spare, but send the reserve fighter wings. Have them clear those Minbari fighters and gunships so Earth can hit their target.”

“Battlemaster Ari'shan's squadron is among those wings Warmaster.”

“Good, I'm sure he'll enjoy flying with his new friends again. Send them in, then redress the right flank and wheel us around. That Neroon hasn't fully committed concerns me. He's probably sizing up those Explorer ships.”

Fresh squadrons launched from their ships, the last few fighters Jha'dur was holding back for such an eventuality. They quickly raced across the gulf and swept in to assist the human Starfuries adding their weight to the fierce contest. By now the duel was in full swing, small craft darting back and forth discharging their guns at any opportunity. All three participants had the firepower to blast apart an opposing fighter in a single clean hit meaning the gap between life and death could be only a fraction of a second, a moment of distraction or just plain bad luck often deciding things.

Among the fighters the six Omega Class destroyers advanced spitting pulse fire as they moved, smaller gun turrets sweeping back and forth to engage any passing Minbari targets. By now most of the gunships were finished, the last few limping into action spluttering flame and trailing debris from dozens of hits by strafing fighters.

“Alpha Squadron, focus on targets coming in from two o'clock.” Sinclair called out. “We'll make a high speed pass then break left and head for the station.”

He brought his squadron in directly from the DeSoto trusting on his comrades in Bravo squadron to keep the ship safe. With the engagement becoming increasingly dire Earth was throwing all it had into a push on the station, the shattered orbital structure still defiant in the face of the attack.

Sinclair led his fighters past an incoming gun boat, dodging some poorly aimed gunfire and responding with well placed concentrated fire as they swept past. It wasn't enough to destroy the small warship but it did wound it further leaving the gunship easy prey for the nearest Omega.

The Destroyers began to focus their attacks, heavy laser beams cutting into the station followed up by a hail of pulse cannons. Each hit inflicted damage, tearing at the structure of the facility but not nearly enough to have immediate effect. The sheer mass soaked up the hits before responding with its own storm of pulses. Interceptors met them but with so many saturating the destroyer group hits began to land.

“Get in close and try to take out some of those cannons.” Sinclair dived down toward the scorched battlestation. “By the numbers, strafe the gun mounts then get some distance.”

“Commander, energy spike!”

“Break off!” Sinclair reacted at once throwing his fighter aside. A few moments later another giant blast erupted from the station catching one of the destroyers. It was weaker than before but still obliterated most of the forward quarter of the vessel leaving it rolling away wreathed in flame. Below them the massive doors that shielded the fusion siege gun quickly slammed shut protecting the elderly super weapon.

“Squadron, fall back, we can't go forward without warship support!”

His computer beeped flashing up a message on the datalink, orders to standby for withdrawal.

“Move to the regroup position, watch for those Minbari on the right!”

Things were obviously going badly, even though the destroyers were still engaging furiously MacDougan must have calculated they couldn't break the station before it wiped out the destroyer group. It was a bitter feeling but it looked like this particular target was far more potent than anyone could have predicted.

“Alpha Leader, Knight Leader on your left.”

A familiar black and red Thorun fighter coasted up alongside, the personal craft of Ari'shan.

“We've been put on notice to withdraw, when the final order comes in we'll be jumping fast.”

“Yes, your Explorer ships are already moving.” Ari noted. “But if we can stop that siege cannon we might still be able to finish the fight.”

“It's too heavily defended, we can't get close without a destroyer.”

“No, no we can.” Ari spoke firmly. “We can, you and I.”

“That place is a firestorm, there's so much debris around the station, so many point defence guns still active, a few fighter squadrons...”

“Yes, it's going to be quite the challenge. But if we don't it will cost you at least two more ships, and then likely several Dilgar capital ships before we all retreat. I'm not going to let those lives be lost.”

“It's suicide.” Sinclair said frankly.

“Not for us.”

“Even if we got close we don't have the firepower to stop it.”

“I do, I have two anti ship nukes. They won't breach the station but if we drop one down the muzzle we can silence it.”

“That's crazy.” Sinclair exhaled. “But you're right, in the time it takes to prepare jump drives we're going to lose ships. We have to try.”

Sinclair swung around, Ari in perfect formation.

“Alpha squadron continue to withdraw, no questions just go. Knight leader, I'll go ahead and find a path, stay close and launch those missiles the second you get a clean shot.”

“Right with you.”

Sinclair took a steadying breath, this was insane but in a situation like this it might just save a few thousand lives. He opened the throttle and began to build speed, the station ahead and the pale orb of Minbar itself behind causing a fair amount of glare. He adjusted his visor to compensate and loosened his body, settling into his crash couch and putting his brain into high gear.

The way down was choked with wreckage thrown up from the Gandiva's direct hit offering no clear path. Gunfire still rose up from the station but focused mainly on the warships, two fighters amid the debris weren't immediately spotted. In the other direction red lasers and orange pulses still slammed past as MacDougan put a final effort into destroying or at least disabling the station but to little avail. The doors protecting the main cannon resisted every attack and would open only briefly to take their shot.

“We need to time our approach, arrive just as the weapon is ready to fire.” Ari recommended. “Too soon and we're sitting ducks, too late and we're vaporised.”

“We won't have to worry about being early, energy levels are rising fast.” Sinclair noted. “We'll need to go through at full throttle.”

“Right with you, take the lead.”

This was far and away the most stupid thing he had ever done, and it was a long list.

“Afterburners on my mark... mark!”

The Starfury kicked forward, Ari almost immediately following in his wake. At this sort of speed there was no room for error, no second chance if his reactions were even marginally wrong. They shot past a slab of fractured crystal armour, its surface a criss cross of hairline cracks passing by just a couple of metres from the fast moving craft. Bursting from its shadow they banked sharply to miss the forward hull of a gunship, then rolled over more debris before lining up directly over the station.

Every threat warning system he had warbled in alarm, the station spotted them and assigned a series of guns to end their brief escapade filling space with blue and green pulses. Sinclair couldn't waste time trying to dodge them, trying to predict the path of each salvo. He just picked a route and flew on instinct, turning, twisting, sidestepping at random whenever his senses told him to. There was no plan, just blind hope that nothing would touch him.

The debris helped by absorbing some hits, the friendly destroyers also managed to still appear the main threat and so draw most of the fire, but it was a gauntlet of fire.

“Energy spike, she's going to shoot!” Ari called, his voice seeming incredibly distant. “Watch the doors!”

Sinclair banked hard putting both of their craft right over the heart of the station diving toward the still sealed doors at breakneck speed. As if seeing their intent every gun on the station seemingly opened fire on them, a hurricane of fusion energy that swamped their course. He took a hit to one engine, even the extraordinary skills he possessed reaching their limit against this impossible task.

“Doors opening!”

Sinclair tilted his craft to give Ari the smallest window of opportunity, less than half a metre below his Fury to make the shot. It was more than enough. Both missiles raced past and as they did the two fighters turned aside, Sinclair trailing fire from his shattered engine, the gunfire getting closer.

Both missiles struck in a flash of white light, their destructive power relatively slight but placed precisely enough to sever the power feed to the cannon. With nowhere to go the energy discharged directly into the weapon itself triggering a massive secondary explosion, a blast big enough to hollow out the centre of the station and shut down it's reactors.

The remaining destroyers capitalised at once pouring on more energy, hitting the now exposed central components of the massive space station, methodically breaking it apart. It was perhaps not quite so clean and spectacular as hoped but with its main weapons gone and most of its insides melting away Earth force only needed to give it a small further nudge into oblivion.

“We got it!” Ari exclaimed. “I knew we were that good! Your father would be proud to see that!”

“I still took damage, reactors failing.” Sinclair reported. “I can't make it back to my ship.”

“Then follow me to mine.” Ari resolved.

“There's half the Minbari starfighter corps between us and them.”

“A minor obstacle. Even in a damaged fighter you are worth a thousand of them, and I'm worth ten thousand!”

Despite himself Sinclair laughed.

“Are you always this modest?”

“A knight should always have plenty of tall tales, this one is a fine addition. Now follow me, my squadron will be eager to meet you.”

*

“They did it.” Jha'dur nodded. “I'm a little impressed, pleasantly so.”

“Earth Force fleet is beginning its withdrawal, Neroon is vectoring toward them but he won't catch them.”

“Very well.” The Warmaster acknowledged. “We're moving, shift us to the flank as the humans leave. Right above that wrecked space station.”

Shai'jhur complied, the flagship and her escorts moving swiftly behind the still fierce fighting and looping around to stare down on the wreck.

“Very nicely done, we have a clean shot right down to their capital city. With the station gone, the Minbari fleet engaged and their satellites weakened or busy we can do as we please.”

“I can prepare the main weapons but at this range the diffusion probably won't penetrate the atmosphere.”

“That won't be necessary.” Jha'dur tapped a button on the comms station. “Vendetta, initiate jump.”

Her second paused.

“The Vendetta is here? Your former flagship?”

“It is.”

“I was not aware of this.”

“You are my chief of staff but some things are classified even beyond you.”

On the sensors the warship arrived, an older Sekhmet class cruiser that still showed the scars of its last battle.

“I thought it was fitting, the Minbari gravely wounded my old ship, she should be the one to repay the favour.”

“A single Sekhmet can't do much, if it tries to close into weapons range Neroon will intercept it and...”

Shai'jhur spotted the modification, the addition that had changed the old warship, the final part of Jha'dur's plan that she had kept so close even her closest allies had not been told.

“I purged the Drakh, but not before securing their gifts for us.”

Slung under the vendetta was a long black missile, a weapon as enigmatic as it was ancient. It was not a weapon made by the Dilgar and it showed, something alien and intimidating, a device even the warlike Dilgar deployed with great care and respect.

“It is a missile made by those who command the Drakh, a sample of their power.” Jha'dur noted. “A weapon of exceptional strength, it is designed to penetrate the crust of a planet and detonate with excessive force triggering large scale earthquakes across a wide area. Apparently these old aliens deployed them by the thousands, enough to destroy a biosphere and render a world uninhabitable. Obviously we can't do that, but we can still leave an impression.”

She tapped the controls again.

“Vendetta, time to launch?”

“Three minutes Warmaster.”

“Fire when ready, don't wait for further orders, then withdraw.”

“We had such weapons?” Shai'jhur finished her scan, the readings matching the description Jha'dur had given.

“A few, we planned to make more but the Drakh were reluctant to offer such technology without our full devotion. Their masters by all accounts are far more generous. If this doesn't get their attention nothing will.”

“You still want to make contact with them?”

“Of course, one way or another we need to know who they are and what they stand for. Dukhat apparently wanted something similar, we need to know. This achieves that goal and several others.”

Shai'jhur accepted the words of her commander, personal questions aside she had her duty.

“Based on the impact point the weapon will completely destroy Yedorr and three adjascent cities, estimated casualties in excess of twenty million.”

“Not so my friend.” Jha'dur smiled the sort of smile that usually emerged before something truly apocalyptic occurred. “The missiles create earthquakes, send shockwaves transmitted through rock and water yes?”

“Yes Warmaster.” Shai'jhur's mind worked fast to catch up to what Jha'dur had apparently planned.

“Tell me about Tuzenore.”

“Tuzenore?”

“Quickly now.”

“The City of Sorrows, one of the wonders of the galaxy carved directly from crystal, the entire city catches sunlight during the day and radiates the light back out again at night.”

“Yes, a simple form of the energy manipulating crystal the Minbari have embraced. Many of their cities and buildings are carved from single huge pieces of crystal, as were their early ships. What does it tell us?”

“That they have access to a lot of crystal.”

“Yes, but more than that.” Jha'dur wrapped up. “It means they have massive deposits of pure crystal in their planetary crust. Miles and miles across, hundreds of metres deep, laid thickly across the whole planet. What happens when natural Minbari crystal is struck?”

“It shatters.” Shai'jhur's eyes widened. “The earthquake missile, the impact, it won't send shockwaves through rock.”

“Because there isn't much rock, it will send shockwaves through crystal which will instead shatter.” Jha'dur's expression burned with anticipation. “The foundation of every major city will transform from solid crystal to trillions of smaller fragments, anything above them will collapse, buildings, lakes, mountain ranges. It will swallow everything within the blast range, and with crystal the range is far greater.”

Shai'jhur tried to predict the level of damage but couldn't.

“It will sink the entire continent, one quarter of the landmass of Minbar and trigger tsunami's of untold scale.” Jha'dur answered for her. “I predict one third to one half of their population wiped out and the end of Minbari dominance forever. By the time they recover in a few generations we will have taken their place.”

Shai'jhur's eyes were fixed on the planet. “So that was the plan all along?”

“It was either humans or Minbari who would fall so we could take their place, and frankly I like humans more.” She shrugged before her expression turned to ice. “Besides, while the humans tried to kill me often enough they were at war with us. The Minbari had no excuse for their attack on me, on us. Their arrogance needs a response. Minbari fight to win, whatever else they say they only ever fight to win because they almost never lose. When they do lose a fight they just come back with more force until they eventually win. That is the entire philosophy of the Warrior Caste, they simply can't see any other reason to fight. It is why they couldn't fathom why humans kept battling even when defeat was certain. They don't understand why people could fight for other reasons.”

Jha'dur listed a few on her fingers

“Duty, fatalism, anger, spite, honour.”

“Because it is better to die on your feet than cower on your knees.” Shai'jhur recited.

“Such a thought is alien to the Minbari, but not Branmer, and not those of Valen's age. That is why Branmer is so dangerous, he is giving the Minbari reasons to fight which don't rely on a clear victory at the end. That will make the Minbari a great people, but only if they listen to him. We're going to help him with that, after this little lesson they will listen to nobody else. They will see how right he was all along, perhaps one day he will even thank us.”

“I wouldn't be sure of that.”

“You're probably right. It doesn't matter I suppose, either way this war is over.”

*

“”How long until the debris begins falling from orbit?”

Branmer quietly observed the remains of the great batlestation making sure to keep his demeanour neutral. He could tell his staff were shaken and the last thing they needed was to see anything other than calm confidence from their leader. Losing the station was a grievous blow, the facility was both a part of their culture and a very practical asset for the coming Shadow war. Replacing it would take serious effort especially alongside replacing warship losses.

“Some already has, the larger pieces will take longer, calculating their path now.”

“We have almost wiped out the Dilgar Mass Driver units, once they are gone their main fleet can't break the defence grid.” Branmer focused his people on the immediate task. “Whatever our losses we have so far prevented casualties on the ground. One final effort will seal this battle.”

“There's a new ship.” Delenn spotted the jump point. “Not far from where the human ships departed.”

Branmer examined it, a Dilgar heavy cruiser that was linking up with a dreadnought unit.

“Not much of a reinforcement, a single cruiser is worth far less than the human ships that just left. Why not keep them in the field?”

“The vessels nearby include the Dilgar flagship.”

Branmer frowned. “If Deathwalker is giving it her attention then it has value. Is Neroon still in the area?”

“Yes Shai Alyt, he still has most of his task force.”

“Send him to destroy them.”

As the orders were sent something changed, several alarms sounding on the ship.

“A new energy reading from the cruiser. It isn't Dilgar in origin.”

“That is Shadow technology!” Delenn recognised instantly, her eyes growing wide. “How?”

“It doesn't matter, identify exactly what it is.” Branmer enforced calm. “Neroon, are your sensors showing Shadow technology?”

“They are, it just activated.”

“Whatever it is, destroy it as a priority.”

“There!” Delenn examined the ship. “It's a missile, I don't recognise the type, but that blackness...”

“Neroon, did you hear that?”

“I did Shai Alyt, accelerating to engage.”

As they watched the long stiletto weapon dropped from the lower hull of the Dilgar cruiser, it hung in space for a second and then with a screech that should have been impossible to hear it threw itself at the planet.

“Missile has launched!” Neroon called in simultaneously. “It is targeting the capital, all ships intercept!”

“Neroon, whatever that missile is, it is Shadow technology, a Shadow weapon. Do not let it reach the surface.”

“I understand Shai Alyt.”

“By whatever means at any cost Neroon. It cannot reach Minbar.” Branmer repeated for emphasis. “It cannot touch our home.”

“In Valen's name Shai Alyt, I swear it will not.”

The black dart fell for the surface picking up speed, a dozen Minbari warships moving to block its path, the closest ships opening fire with every possible weapon. It was a ferocious display, but actually hitting the relatively small missile complete with its own exceptional stealth systems was extremely difficult.

“Missile on course, the Minbari are moving to intercept.”

“Of course they are.” Jha'dur folded her arms. “That is why we are here, open fire on the Minbari ships. They will be too distracted to respond.”

The Dilgar flagship and her heavy escorts began long range fire, beams and pulses searing across the distance in support of the missile cutting into the closest Minbari ships. The effects were devastating, the pinnacle of Dilgar technology concentrated one by one on the smaller Minbari ships deliberately knocking out the frigates and light cruisers that were fast enough to catch the missile.

“Two warcruisers are moving into the path of the missile, one is Neroon's ship.” Shai'jhur reported.

“Continue firing on the light ships with our main weapons, we can't hurt a capital ship at this range.”

“Neroon is almost directly ahead of the missile, if he misses he can ram it.”

“Only if he can see it.” Jha'dur signalled. “Launch nuclear missiles, saturation pattern between Neroon and our special delivery. Let's use a lesson Earth taught us in the last war.”

Neroon's flagship was racing for the interception point, every gun blazing as it tried to stop the Shadow weapon. It still carried damage from the last few battles, its engines melting down with the effort but it didn't matter. Neroon wasn't going to allow such a disaster to befall his people even at the cost of his life and ship.

“Contact in 25 seconds!”

He hoped to shoot it down of course and as the range decreased that chance increased dramatically, but if he could not then he'd stop it by putting his ship in its path. Even that wasn't guaranteed, the missile could simply punch clean through and carry on, but he had nothing else to give.

“Dilgar ships firing on us!”

“Hold course, ignore them!” Neroon snarled.

“Our escorts are down!”

“Hold course! Keep firing!”

The warship pushed on through the void, placing itself ahead of the planet, burning out its weapons with long continuous sweeps of green beams. Behind the Shadow weapon the Dilgar force ripple fired a salvo of missiles, dozens of them that streaked down at exceptional speed. The missiles split after a distance releasing several small nuclear warheads that scattered in front of the Shadow weapon at the most critical moment. Their detonation wasn't very violent but the flash and burst of radiation overloaded the sensors of the warcruiser. In the moment when they had the best chance of hitting the missile they were blind and left to simply lash out wildly.

The projectile burst through the hot nuclear haze at point blank range, the guns unable to track. The warcruiser lunged forward, a final dive to put the massive blue hull in the path of the black stiletto, a last great surge of power throwing Neroon into the missiles path.

It wasn't enough. The black dart barely clipped the bow of the ship leaving a shallow glowing cut in the upper deck of the warcruiser before racing on, the warships guns still handicapped by the bursts of energy from the nukes scrambling their targeting.

“Shadow missile is past us! It broke through our perimeter!” Neroon barked the warning. “We're giving chase but our sensors are recalibrating!”

“Do what you can.” Branmer watched stoically. “Warn ground based defences, have them engage.”

It was little more than a gesture, the ground based planetary defences predated the Shadow War and had only a ghost of a chance.

“Shall we send people to shelters? Warn them?” Delenn asked her breath shortening.

“It won't matter, the Shadows scoured whole planets, wherever it hits there will be no survivors.”

Fighters were still giving chase as the weapon crashed through the debris of the broken station, flitting away from bigger chunks and weaving through the wreckage. The small craft did all they could, but they were too small to have an effect.

“This is the price or our pride, our isolation, our sneering supremacy. This is where all our sins have brought us.” Branmer observed the fall of the Shadow device. “Perhaps this is where our path was leading all along.”

In an instant a blue shape moved from behind the debris of the station, forcing through the wreckage, crashing through. Its hull cracked, debris embedded within it but it dd not matter, the ship made that last desperate push and threw itself into the Shadow projectile. The weapon detonated in a titanic blast immolating the ship and much of the station debris around it in a colossal eruption of light.

“What just happened?” Branmer shot a look to his sensor officers. “Who was that?”

“The Valen'tha.” Delenn answered instead. “It was Coplann.”

Branmer's expression grew stony, he had deployed the Grey Council's ship himself to support Neroon, sent them into harms way. Yet their sacrifice had just saved countless lives, he suddenly found himself regretting many of the harsh words he had exchanged with those who had been on the ship.

“We still have a battle to win.” He spoke simply. “Neroon, destroy the Dilgar command ship. All other units continue to attack.”

“The Council...” Delenn stared at the fading explosion. “They're gone...”

“We can deal with that later, we still have an enemy fleet over our homeworld.” The Shai Alyt nudged. “Now is the time to exploit the situation decisively. Wars can turn on a heartbeat, we must not let this opportunity slip.”

“Of course Shai Alyt.”

“It isn't cruelty Delenn, it is reality. This is the way of leadership.”

*

“Incredibly disappointing.” Jha'dur exhaled. “I really wanted to see how the crystal veins reacted to such massive seismic activity. Next time I'll launch several decoys beside the real missile, live and learn.”

“Minbari ships are rallying Warmaster, they are concentrating on us and our flank. Bombardment group is reporting increasing casualties.” Shai'jhur passed along with some urgency. “Shall we redeploy our line to meet them?”

“No, further battle serves no benefit. Issue the withdrawal order. Disengage and leave the system, retreat by division.”

“Yes Warmaster.”

The Dilgar fleet was unsurprisingly well drilled and had little difficulty extricating itself from battle. The different elements began to open jump points and depart, the Minbari careful to keep their distance allowing the Dilgar to leave without much issue.

“Was I correct in identifying that ship was the home of the Grey Council?”

“Yes Warmaster, but we cannot confirm if they were aboard.”

“Killing them would be a silver lining, and potentially create a succession crisis among the Minbari.” Jha'dur mused. “Perhaps not an entirely wasted journey after all.”

“Jump engines are online.” Shai'jhur kept an eye on the approaching Minbari, presumably led by an extremely angry Neroon. “We can jump but we are still missing Knight Leader.”

“Ari? He didn't land?” Jha'dur raised an eyebrow.

“No Warmaster, he was last seen escorting a human fighter.”

“He probably landed on a closer ship. Continue the jump.” She dismissed. “It would take far more than this to bring him down.”

The Dilgar forces turned their back on Minbar and left, the scene behind them one of chaos, destruction and barely averted armageddon. Branmer had needed something to convince his people to change, Earth had wanted a show of power, the Dilgar had desired a decisive knock out blow. Perhaps all of them had been given what they had wished for.

Deep within the Minbari flagship the Vorlons said nothing, they did not need to. This path was unexpected, unpredicted, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that it led to the same place, the same end result, the same vindication. How the galaxy arrived at that revelation was irrelevant, only that the great contest would have its victor. Order would assert itself over this chaos, they would ensure it.


	20. Chapter 20

20

Above Minbar

Nobody was quite sure what was supposed to happen next. For each Minbari, whether those at the highest levels of their society or those toiling at the base there was a sense of entering unknown territory. Yesterday they had thought the war was under control, not the resounding success it had been but none the less progressing in their favour. This morning they had learned the truth, the Shai Alyt speaking to them over the various news services for the first time and laying out the hard reality.

Their borders had been breached, their navy crippled, foreign invaders had landed on Minbari territory and now had struck the homeworld itself. On top of all that the Grey Council had been caught in the battle and was almost completely destroyed. Only its newest member Satai Delenn had survived.

These facts were a shock to say the least, the information entirely unexpected by most. The Minbari were so used to their leaders handling everything, so used to not having any information they were deemed not to need by their superiors, so used to living in what was blissful ignorance that they were not prepared for any of this. Instead of simply doing what the caste elders decided was best for them the people of Minbar were now being asked to make a decision of their own.

The Shai Alyt wanted to hear their voices, wanted their thoughts. More specifically with all the facts now in their hands he wanted to know their opinions on the war and the future. Unsurprisingly they were largely fearful and shaken, especially after spending the day watching smashed pieces of Minbari infrastructure falling out of the sky and burning up above them.

There was a movement among the population growing, one of anger at being lied to about the war, a helplessness as their situation became obvious and a strong drive to resolve the situation fast. All exactly as Branmer had predicted.

“Most of the anger is focused at the Council.” Neroon stood under the holographic shroud gazing at Minbar from the darkness. “They put their faith and trust in them, they consider themselves betrayed.”

“They are not entirely wrong.” Branmer considered. “If they blame the Council that is understandable, but the Council also sacrificed itself to save many lives which should preserve its reputation in the long term. They sinned, but gave their lives to erase said sins. People will accept it.”

“I will resign, leave to a quiet role.” Delenn offered.

“Not needed, you were new to the Council and spoke out against this. Your reputation if anything will flourish.” Branmer assured. “We will create a new Council, you will be part of it.”

“I don't know if I deserve to be, I hold so much responsibility for this...”

“Have you learned from it? Grown stronger?” Branmer interrupted.

“Well, yes.”

“Will you ever allow something like this again?”

“No, even if it results in my death.”

“Then you need to be on that Council. More than anything it needs someone like that.”

“I do not envy you.” Neroon exhaled. “It will be a difficult task rebuilding faith in the Council.”

“A very difficult one.” Branmer agreed. “That is why you will be on it too.”

Neroon just stared at his leader.

“For a second it sounded like you were suggesting I should be Satai.”

“Coplann was a man of honour, if not one of vision. His replacement should be a Star Rider, one of great reputation but still young enough to be free of mind and untouched by rotten traditions.”

“My place is beside you Shai Alyt.”

“And it will be, the new Council will not be as potent as before, I want some of its power shared with the other elders. Too much power in too few hands is part of why we are in this crisis.”

“I do not fully agree, but I will not disobey.”

“I want a Ranger in their too, Rathenn perhaps, or Turval himself?” Branmer considered.

“Both would likely accept if called.” Delenn nodded. “It will be a radical departure.”

“Rathenn was Religious caste, Turval a Worker?” Branmer tried to remember. “Durhan was obviously a Warrior. Perhaps they can all three fulfil the roles of their caste but also stand for the Rangers. In this new era I sense we will need their insight often.”

“So if we appoint them we just need to find two from each caste, not three.” Neroon nodded. “But that will still take time.”

“Yes, and we must act immediately.” Branmer agreed. “Until the Council is rebuilt I am going to act as the temorary leader of our people. Is there any objection?”

“A crisis allows for power to be given to one man.” Delenn confirmed. “Though the last to invoke that law was Valen.”

“I shall surrender it as soon as possible, I swear it.” Branmer promised. “I'm also appointed three advisers with the power to overrule me if all three agree. You two of course and Vizier Muruk.”

“Giving the Protectorate such a prominent role will raise eyebrows.” Neroon mused, then smiled. “Good. They fought well, they have earned a place with us.”

“I don't think I can get one on the Council but it is my intention to grant them independence.” Branmer resolved. “But there is time for that later,, first we must end this war. Any objections?”

“None.”

“Public opinion strongly favours it.” Delenn confirmed. “If you did not we face the real possibility of being overthrown.”

“Then my first and probably only task as Leader of the Federation will be to request a cease fire and armistice.” Branmer exhaled. “At long last.”

“I'll send word through the Narn.” Neroon offered. “Durhan has contacts there, we will probably have an answer by the end of the day.”

“Very well, speak to your old teacher.” Branmer approved. “We should waste no time.”

*

“Do you think the humans will agree?” Delenn walked beside him. “They wanted peace before, but now they are winning, now after all the loss and death...”

“I do not know.” Branmer shook his head. “In all these battles I have studied humans, their history, their recent wars. But I still do not think I know the heart of them. I do not truly understand them.”

“We have a human aboard, a prisoner.” Delenn mentioned. “He was taken alongside a Dilgar, their fighters were disabled when the Shadow weapon exploded.”

“I was not told of this?”

“The Dilgar is the son of their Emperor, possibly a very useful asset in negotiations. The human is just a pilot.” She delivered. “It was in the report.”

“I haven't read it yet.” Branmer grunted.

“You have had a busy day old friend.” Delenn smiled.

“We will go speak to him. How is your human language?”

“Passable, yours?”

“Good enough. Let's go try and get some impressions of them. We should at least meet one and see what they are really like.”

The pair headed to one of the detention room, several dozen gravity field emitters surrounding several prisoners in an otherwise dark expanse. Most were dilgar but there were also a pair of humans unlucky enough to not be picked up by their fleet on its way out.

Branmer paused beside one of them separated only by a thin gravitic wall, the human meeting his gaze steadily.

“Do you have a name?” The Minbari began, his grasp of English reasonable enough.

“Sinclair, Jeffrey, Lieutenant Commander, Earth Force.”

“Sinclair Jeffrey, the rest is your rank and organisation?”

He did not reply.

“You do not wish to speak?”

“Our rules only allow us to give enough information to identify us.”

“I see. I can understand you have little desire for conversation.”

“Not with a Minbari.”

“You have hatred for us?”

“Wouldn't you hate someone who wanted to kill every member of your race?”

“I would.” Branmer nodded. “We do not all seek your destruction.”

“You could have fooled me.”

“Many of us want peace.”

“You're not doing a great job of it.”

“That is true.” Branmer nodded. “But things have changed. I have just ordered all Minbari ships to pull back and cease fire.”

Sinclair frowned, examining this older but still strong looking warrior.

“You ordered it?”

“Yes. I am Shai Alyt of the Federation.”

“Branmer?”

“Yes. Forgive me, I should have offered my name when you gave yours.”

Sinclair was sceptical, but he did have a uniform heavy with badges of rank and merit, if the Minbari were trying to trick him it was an elaborate one.

“I have nothing else to say.”

“I'm not interested in your secrets Sinclair Jeffrey.” Branmer said. “I only want to know if you think my attempt at peace will be matched.”

“I don't know, that's for the President to decide.”

“Elizabeth Levy, correct?”

Sinclair nodded.

“She wanted peace before.” Branmer recalled. “Does she still seek it? Or has her heart hardened?”

“I honestly don't know.”

“What about your people? Is there a desire to end this war? Or does rage now consume you?”

“You're asking me to speak for ten billion people. Can you sum up the thoughts of every Minbari?”

“No.” Branmer admitted. “But perhaps I could make a very educated guess. Our people have only just learned the truth of this war, they are outraged, they want a resolution.”

“I hope you get it.”

“I could watch Human news broadcasts, your stellar net channels and so on to get my answer. But it takes time and I need an answer before then. I have already sent the request, but even if your President agrees what happens if your military demands to fight on?”

“They won't, if the President orders it they'll stop.”

“If only our warriors were so obedient.” Delenn snarked beside him.

“Delenn.” Branmer gently chastised. “We have resolved on peace, but we will fight if we must. We are far from broken Sinclair, but I seek no more bloodshed.”

“You commanded the Minbari fleet. You destroyed thousands of our ships.”

“I did, and I ordered it not to kill civilians. I had orders from my leaders but now they are dead. I am in command of the Minbari and I seek peace. Things have changed.”

“I honestly don't know, I can't answer.” Sinclair spoke honestly. “But I hope so. Some of us want to burn your worlds to ash, some are open to peace. I can't tell you which group has more influence.”

“I understand.” Branmer accepted. “You and your allies here will be released to the Narn as a sign of good faith. By the end of this week you will be home. I pray we do not find ourselves exchanging gunfire again.”

“For what it's worth I hope so too.” Sinclair nodded. “Its not too late to seek a better world.”

Branmer nodded and stepped back, his mind catching something, dragging something from his deep memory.

“What was that Sinclair? Your last words?”

“Its not too late to seek a better world.”

He turned to Delenn.

“Do you recognise the phrase?” he spoke Minbari.

“No, I...” She thought hard. “Valen. Valen spoke those words.”

“Yes, to the old clan elders while trying to convince them to build the first Council.”

“It isn't an unusual phrase, and the translation isn't perfect.”

“Still, to express a similar sentiment to Valen...” Branmer mused. “Perhaps Dukhat was right about them.”

Delenn approached the Earth Force pilot.

“Sinclair Jeffrey, do you agree with those words?”

“Of course.”

“Do you believe that a pure heart grants you the strength to do great things?”

Sinclair frowned, it was an odd question but not apparently malicious.

“I think so, someone once wrote 'My strength is the strength of ten...'”

“...because my heart is pure.” Delenn finished.

“Valen at the founding of the Anla'shok.” Branmer recognised. “How does he know this?”

Delenn focused on Sinclair, their tests had shown he wasn't telepathic, there was no reason he would know the teachings of Valen.

“Sinclair.” Branmer approached again. “if I were to say 'There's is not to reason why...'”

“...There's is but to do and die.” He answered. “You know Tennyson?”

“I have not met any other humans.” Branmer shook his head. “Did he give you these words?”

“Yes. Hundreds of years ago, he was a human poet.”

“What else did he write?” Delenn asked.

“Into the jaws of death, into the mouth of hell.” Sinclair offered.

“Valen's final words before the assault on Za'Ha'Dum.”

“It is better to have loved and lost...”

“Written in his personal journal in one of his earliest entires. Only the most senior scholars know of it.” Delenn identified.

“Some work of noble note may yet be done not unbecoming men that strove with gods.”

“Said when Valen resigned from the Council and set it on its own path. Incredible.” Branmer exhaled. “To strive, to seek, to find...”

“...and not to yield.” Sinclair ended. “What is this?”

“It is what Valen spoke when he rallied our people. A thousand years ago. How can a Minbari from so long ago and a human poet know the exact same words. Translation aside it is far too close.”

“I don't know Valen, we have nothing on your culture, just some basics from the Centauri.” Sinclair shook his head. “No history books or speeches.”

“Are the words of Tennyson free for all to read?” Delenn asked.

“You can find them on the net if you wanted.”

Branmer nodded to Delenn who took the task upon herself.

“A final comment then.” Branmer spoke. “My purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset...”

“... and the baths of all the western stars until I die.” Sinclair finished.

“That was the last comment Valen ever wrote in his last journal, I can count on one hand the people who have read it. It was lost for centuries until my friend found it a few years ago.” Branmer concluded. “It is impossible anyone else could recite those words. How could a human poet write that centuries ago? How could Valen know the words of a human from after his death?”

“It is impossible.” Delenn agreed. “Even if the humans found the words of Valen somehow all that time ago, how could they read them? They do not know our languages.”

“This is truly a great mystery.” Branmer smiled. “I spent much of my younger years seeking answers for mysteries left by Valen, this is by far the greatest. Your father Delenn would be beside himself in glee.”

“He surely would have. In his place I will solve this puzzle. But first we must attend to more pressing needs.”

“So we should.” Branmer nodded. “Thank you Sinclair, I think I perhaps have a better grasp of where you come from. Any culture that could echo the words of Valen is a culture we should try to learn more from, not destroy. I do not understand it, but I don't have to. Do these words matter to you?”

“Yes, a great deal.”

“They gave me great courage and direction too when I was a younger man.” Branmer related with a slight smile. “Perhaps then we have something in common beside this war. That simple fact might be worth more than you can imagine.”

*

Narn Space

Not for the first time this region of space found itself hosting a variety of ships from across known space. The relatively simple space station again was surrounded by warships of various types though in this case far more than previous occasions. In addition to the hefty Narn fleet under War Leader G'sten tasked with providing security there were vessels from across the League holding station at a respectful distance. Dilgar ships were also present in small numbers along with remarkably a small Centauri squadron, something virtually unthinkable under other circumstances.

The most prominent arrivals however were settled on either side of the station. On one side the tall blue curves of a Minbari command group, on the other the grey blocks of the Earth Alliance. There was tension despite the circumstances, the last two times human and Minbari representatives had attempted diplomatic contact the results had been catastrophic which was not lost on representatives from either side.

Minbar had sent its full leadership, Branmer would be conducting the meeting in person with Neroon and Delenn. On the Earth side the President had sent David Sheridan, her first and foremost diplomat to make the initial contact and set the terms of negotiations. Alongside him Admiral Hamato had decided to take personal command of the expedition, and with him was his new protege John Sheridan.

“The Narn sent the entire Green Fleet.” Captain Sheridan noted as he stood beside his superior officer in an ante room. The main conference hall was being set up next door, Representative G'kar deeply enjoying his role in organising it. The various League representatives were already settled along with the older Sheridan. Centauri Ambassador Londo Mollari was also present keeping very close to a team of Earth Force bodyguards and never taking his eyes off the Narn personnel in the room.

“With so many factions here I don't expect trouble.” Hamato reasoned. “But this is a huge diplomatic coup for the Narn, hosting the initial talks will boost their reputation and I'm sure they are keen to make sure it goes well.”

“I met their man G'kar, their Ambassador. Very ambitious but also very smart.” Sheridan assessed. “Fifty credits says that between his success on Earth and now this he'll be running the show on Narn next decade.”

“Very probably. This will likely see a lot of promotions and opportunities. Perhaps your father might use it to make a bid for the Presidency next term?”

Sheridan laughed suddenly.

“I can imagine his face hearing that! No, he's ready to retire, if it wasn't for this he'd probably already be buying flowers for his garden.”

“A real loss.” Hamato said sincerely. “Earth could need leadership like that. Arrogance in success can be as dangerous as melancholy in defeat. A man like your father would be ideal.”

“I think he'd be great in the job.” Sheridan agreed. “But I also think he's tired of it all. He'll do his job here and then that's it.”

“It will be quite a test.” Hamato reasoned. He was also looking a little older but it hadn't made him any less sharp, his eyes catching approaching movement. “On your guard Captain, something wicked this way comes.”

Precisely on time arrived the Dilgar delegation consisting only of Warmaster Jha'dur and her chief of staff Shai'jhur. Their ship had been prominent among the gathered units and her presence among the League was a major factor in the level of security.

“Admiral, Captain, I am delighted to meet you both again.” The Warmaster beamed. “I am glad both of you survived the conflict unharmed.”

“What exactly did you think you were doing at Minbar?” Hamato skipped the formalities. “What was that weapon you tried to use?”

“Just a new class of missile, we brought it along to destroy the battlestation if Captain MacDougan failed. Fortunately he did not, so we fired it at the debris as a test. Very successful.”

“You are an extremely accomplished liar Warmaster.”

“Thank you Admiral.” She took it as a compliment. “Now I am sure there are some who might wish to make a diplomatic incident over this, but I doubt many humans would support haranguing your new friends over the potential death of some Minbari. Correct?”

“My superiors have declined any actions against you for lying to us and attemptimg to nuke millions of Minbari civilians.” Hamato gritted his death. “In opposition of my express recommendations.”

“Such is the way of things. You could resign again but I think it has less impact the second time around.” She maintained a friendly smile. “And it would have been billions of lives, not millions. Better luck next time.”

She shrugged and set it aside.

“I did finally confront Branmer though in person, that was worth it all. He has great potential, you were right to respect him as an enemy. We will see how strong he is now as a diplomat.”

“The human position in these talks is strong but not unreasonable.” Shai'jhur spoke up folding away some sheets of notes. “They will pull back and respect the pre-war border and return all prisoners. In return though they are demanding massive reparations in the form of Quantium 40 caches, a halt to any rimward expansion of Minbari space which the Alliance Explorer division will instead have access to, and detailed access to Minbari technology.”

“That last one is the real goal.” Jha'dur recognised. “Earth wants to continue its expansion beyond Minbari space, and the reparations will pay for a full rebuild and modernisation of the Navy. But the technology, that is what you really want.”

“Their mastery of gravitic technology far exceeds that of the Centauri.” Sheridan admitted. “And their materials sciences are unbelievable. Earth wants to be able to match them, and then exceed them. There are already plans for the next generation warship to use crystal and ceramic laminate armour, if we can also arm them with Neutron weapons and give them enhanced gravitic propulsion nothing in the galaxy could touch it.”

“The fabled Warlock Class? A worthy enough goal.” Jha'dur accepted. “Minbari technology mixed with human ingenuity could catapult you right to the top and save you a thousand years of research.”

“It will also keep your Navy competitive with the Centauri, and ensure any rebuilt Minbari fleet will always be numerically and technologically inferior.” Shai'jhur reasoned.

“The people back home consider it the most effective way to increase our power without wasting anything.” Hamato nodded. “We don't need their existing territory, but we do want space within their sphere of influence that is as yet unclaimed. IPX is very interested in an entire region of dead worlds between Minbar and the rim beyond the Protectorate.”

“Remnants of a war from a thousand years ago.” Jha'dur recognised. “Be careful they do not delve too greedily or too deep.”

The small gathering halted their conversation as another set of doors opened at the back of the room. From this point finally arrived the Minbari delegation, the trio of Neroon, Delenn and Branmer taking a few steps into the ante room and halting as they spied their opposites. They stood for a moment as they judged the situation, then followed Branmer as he stepped forward.

“I am Branmer, Shai Alyt of the Minbari Federation. This is Delenn who will assist me in the talks, and Neroon who is my future successor.”

“I'm Admiral Akira Hamato, Earth Force.” He offered a salute as formality demanded. “I am to escort you to the meeting.”

“A full Admiral, and commander of all human forces?” Branmer bowed his head in answer to the salute.

“I am commander of Naval Forces, but not the overall commander of our military. I requested this duty personally.”

“Why Admiral?”

“Because I wanted to get a measure of the man I had met in battle.” Hamato answered truthfully. “To see if my assessment of you was correct.”

“Time will tell.” The Minbari responded. “Though I do not much approve of the company you keep.” He looked to Jha;dur who just grinned back. “Though I understand you personally oppose the Dilgar?”

“Just some of them.” Hamato tightened his expression. “I will admit their new leader appears to be good to his word, I might one day be able to shake the hand of the Supreme Warmaster, but never some of his subordinates.”

“So you are a man who can forgive your enemies?” Branmer asked pointedly.

“If they are worthy of it, if they are people of good character and honour.” Hamato nodded. “I understand that when you were ordered to massacre human civilians you refused and forbade your forces to kill civilians?”

“I did, but I regret I could not do more to end the war until now.”

“Many humans cannot forgive the Minbari. Some of you will need to stand trial for warcrimes.”

“You will find most of those who gave the order to show no mercy are dead.” Branmer said, very subtly noticing Delenn shrink back a little. “But I am open to providing individuals to meet human justice. Alyt Shakiri for instance was in favour of genocide. Perhaps he and his closest commanders would be a suitable offering?”

“I'll leave that for the negotiators to decide.”

“Also conveniently removes them from your opposition too does it not?” Jha'dur chipped in happily. “Even now you strengthen your position at home while making gestures to improve your chances in the talks. Masterful.”

“I have little to say to you Warmaster.” Branmer shot a glance her way. “I have not and will not forget your attack on my homeworld.”

“As I have explained to the Admiral, that missile was simply insurance that we didn't want to waste.”

“Your lies are transparent.”

“I don't think we really want to be talking about lies do we Shai Alyt?” Jha'dur lowered her voice but maintained her smile. “A topic for another time don't you think?”

Neroon looked about ready to throw the Warmaster through a wall but Branmer gently shook his head.

“We are are here to speak with Earth, the Dilgar can wait.”

“Well we're not going anywhere.”

“We should probably make a start.” Hamato judged. “If you will follow me Shai Alyt.”

“I will.” The older Minbari raised his head. “Do you think there will be peace Admiral?”

“Yes, but at a price.”

“So be it.”

As Hamato headed for the meeting room Neroon paused a second beside Sheridan.

“I know you Starkiller.” The tall Minbari grunted. “We met above your homeworld, our contest was not finished.”

“If you want a rematch I'm ready any time.” Sheridan replied coldly.

“Enough.” Delen stepped between them. “If there is to be peace we must all be prepared to move forward. Do not embarrass your leaders here today. Remember your duties.”

Neroon huffed and looked away, Sheridan following suit slightly bemused at being lectured by a Minbari half his size.

“Our task is to build the future, and for everyone's sake we must make it worthy of the sacrifices made to bring us here.”

The human and Minbari group left to join the conference, branmer's arrival signalling its official start. Alone in the room now Jha'dur and Shai'jhur watched through the doorway as both sides officially greeted each other, David Sheridan shaking hands with Branmer in front of spontaneous applause led by a very enthusiastic G'kar.

“My old Narn friend is milking this for all it's worth.” Jha'dur chuckled. “it'll either make him or get him assassinated by a rival. Word is he has a lot of enemies.”

“Who doesn't these days?” Shai'jhur exhaled. “Should we join them?”

“In a few moments. Let them have their smiles first, I expect there will be fewer once the real negotiations begin.”

“Do you think it will work?”

“In the end.” Jha'dur nodded. “Neither side gains more than they lose if the war goes on. The core Minbari worlds are massively defended, and their ship producing planets were built to resist the Ancient Enemy. They will fully mobilise soon and while slow to build ships once they get going their capabilities are formidable. Earth will still probably win but it will take years and cost countless lives. If the humans can score a favourable peace quickly they will take it.”

“Our intercepts suggest a lot of discontent on Minbar, the population did not appreciate the old Council lying to them.” Shai'jhur noted.

“I expect not. They have lost faith not just in their leaders but increasingly in their system of leadership. Should be interesting to see how Branmer handles that.”

“The negotiations will cost them a lot.”

“Yes, and slow down their own rebuilding efforts. Branmer won't like that. But he doesn't have much choice, he's just lucky Earth is looking to get back to expanding quickly and wants to use its resources in unclaimed space.”

“Will they limit the Minbari fleet?”

“Probably, some sort of cap on tonnage I expect.” Jha'dur guessed. “But as we both guessed it is the tech edge Earth wants. Minbari technology mixed with human mass production and professional crews? They'd be untouchable, the Minbari wouldn't be a threat even with no restrictions.”

“Will Branmer give them what they want?”

“He has no choice, he must. But I like how he's still using any opportunity to get rid of his own rivals. Nothing if not consistent.”

“it seems he is as skilled as you expected Warmaster.”

“He does not disappoint.” Jha'dur gave her approval. “He won't be our friend but that doesn't matter, he's practical enough so that when the time comes we can rely on him.”

“Rely on him to do what?”

“Long story, I'll debrief you when things relax a little. Fascinating story involving Valen, you always appreciated history if I recall?”

“I have an interest.”

“Good, because we are making it.” The Warmaster exhaled. “The Emperor will not live past the end of this month.”

Shai'jhur blinked for a moment at the sudden change of topic.

“Warmaster?”

“Damn stubborn old fool sometimes.” She spoke with unusual honesty. “I have the means to grant Gar'shan youth and good health forever. I offered him the first few samples even before I took one myself. But he refuses. He doesn't want to live beyond his alloted time. What a foolish concept.”

“You are talking about your serum? The one that provides virtual immortality?”

“My life's work.” Jha'dur nodded. “I am still working on how to efficiently mass produce it, I only have a few samples so far but of course the Emperor would have first choice. He refused.”

“I see.” Shai'jhur looked down. She had met Gar'shan a few times, he was rightly considered the Father of the new Imperium and it was by his instruction and example the Dilgar had worked to set aside their cruel nature. It was a work in progress but gradually bearing fruit.

“When he passes his son will become Emperor.” Jha'dur continued. “Dar'sen will remain Supreme Warmaster and our true day to day ruler, but when Dal'shan ascends it will create a vacancy in our ranks. I have been asked to take his place as Warmaster of the First Strike Fleet.”

“Congratulations.” Shai'jhur smiled widely. “You will be back where you belong, leading our finest fleet.”

“Perhaps.” Jha'dur nodded. “But I would gladly step aside if the Emperor would remain. I never took him for much of a religious man but he seems intent on passing on. He promised to give our regards to those who had gone before.”

“If I may speak freely, your family were mostly priests weren't they? Before conscription?”

“Yes, for generations we maintained the church of the Moon Goddess, that is where our family name comes from, the Clan of the Frozen Moon. But I have no belief.”

“There are many who claim it is truth, the Soul Hunters are adamant about it.”

“I remain very keen to meet one, there is much I want to learn about these Soul Hunters.” Jha'dur felt a moment of relish. “But another time, I'm not mentioning this to wallow in pity or share my feelings like a whiny Abbai, there is a practical point.”

“Yes Warmaster?”

“If I transfer to the First Strike Fleet, it leaves Third Strike Fleet without a commander. A new Warmaster needs to be promoted to fill the ranks.”

“I agree, I can think of...”

“It's you.” Jha'dur cut her off. “Obviously it was going to be you.”

“With respect my place is wherever you go.”

“Your place is where the Supreme Warmaster decides it will be.” Jha'dur corrected. “I was also very wary at first, I didn't want command, I thought I was best used doing nothing but research. I was wrong, embrace it.”

Jha'dur reached in her pocket and took out a small box, within it a gold badge of rank bearing the symbol of a Warmaster.

“Dar'sen will hold a formal ceremony when we get back, but he gave me permission to give you the actual promotion here and now. Do you want it?”

“I...” She set aside her surprise and summoned up her will. “Yes Warmaster.”

“Good. You will be the junior of we three Warmasters but you'll outrank anyone who comes next. That's partially why I pressed for it sooner rather than later.” She took the badge from the box. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

“This is the symbol of your rank and responsibility. The nine warmasters were appointed by the first Emperor as his most valued advisers. The greatest warriors, the sharpest minds, the wisest hearts. As they served so we serve, once a Warmaster, always a Warmaster. This rank can never be taken from you, only in death does your duty end. Do you accept?”

“I do.”

She took the magnetic bar from the back of the rank badge exposing two pins designed to pierce clothing, a very old design. She set it on Shai'jhur's chest and pinned it to her uniform in place of her old rank.

“Swear on your blood.” Jha'dur continued.

“I swear to obey the Emperor, Supreme Warmaster and all those above me in the chain of command. I swear not to bring shame or dishonour on the Imperium and to do my duty to the very best of my ability.”

“If you break this oath may death be your only reward. By blood and iron.”

Jha'dur slammed her fist on the badge driving the pins into Shai'jhur's flesh. It wasn't a deep wound but it did draw blood sealing the ritual.

“If only your predecessors had taken that oath as seriously as I am sure you will.” Jha'dur exhaled. “Congratulations Shai'jhur. Here stands a Warmaster.”

“Thank you, I'm not sure what to say.”

“Anything you want, you're a Warmaster.” Jha'dur chuckled. “You can take the badge off now, I'm not sure how valuable these old rituals are but I suppose it is tradition. Gar'shan pinned my badge on me during my promotion, he hit it hard enough to chip a rib.” She laughed. “I suppose it is designed so you remember it.”

“So there will be other Warmasters?”

“As we expand yes, but I wanted to make sure you'd have seniority. With An'jash as the other Warmaster I am stacking the deck a little. I want people I know personally at the top to avoid this Warmaster Council failing like the last one.”

“I won't disappoint you.”

“Good, it's not good for your health. We do not agree on everything, frankly I find some of your opinions highly questionable. But we must evolve and I am too settled in the past. As we grow closer to Earth someone like you is essential, someone who can see things from their perspective.”

“You know humans at least as well as I do.”

“I know their history, culture, military doctrine. But I don't know them, I don't know any actual humans, and I never will. You do though, and that is a doorway we need. Make no mistake Shai'jhur your appointment is heavily determined by our relations with Earth and you will be expected to bring our nations closer together.”

“That is not a small task.”

“No it isn't. Welcome to being a Warmaster, your basic job description is to achieve the impossible.” Jha'dur grinned. “We all did it once, now it is your turn.”

There were more cheers and applause as Branmer shook hands with Hamato, several news cameras catching the moment.

“About time we joined them I think.” Jha'dur mused. “We should make sure that while not prominent we are represented. I don't want our contributions to be ignored but no need to crow about it. The people who matter know what we have done.”

“So we're going to use this to advance our nation, become closer to Earth?”

“Beating us in the last war made them a super power, beating the Minbari will make them something greater. Everyone will want closer relations but we have the advantage. We gambled on Earth and we won. Those winnings will set us up for the next war where we can start restoring our true Imperium.”

“Understood.” Shai'jhur nodded firmly. “At the very least this is going to boost our standing and reputation, we already have dozens of trade offers on the table along with non aggression pacts in the League.”

“Exactly what Gar'shan desired, a final end to hostilities.” Jha'dur contemplated. “Perhaps that was his life's work? To give us our home and ensure it was secure. Achieving that he can go to his ancestors.”

“If you believe in that sort of thing?”

“I'm open to persuasion.” Jha'dur admitted. “Cracking open the head of a Soul Hunter may give a clearer answer.”

“That was the answer I was expecting.” Shai'jhur nodded. “It's not going to be an easy future is it?”

“No. Branmer is predicting a war in about a decade according to prophecy, he believes it enough to do all this in order to prepare for it. Even if he's wrong the Narn will be emboldened by this which makes the chance of war with the Centauri grow. Emperor Turhan his old and his son is not strong, we cannot guarantee the Centauri will remain silent. No old friend, it isn't going to be easy.”

“And we are going to be in the middle of it.”

“Very likely, we have too much history to be ignored..” Jha'dur confirmed. “Whatever happens we will have a part in it, but I think it is the humans we're going to need to watch. It's why all this has happened, all these efforts and risks and lives lost. The future is going to be written by humans, all we need to do is stay close and give them a little help now and again.”

“Will it be enough?”

“Ask me again next time you see me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic did take quite a lot longer to finish originally planned, it was a quick few chapters to act as a kind of fun end note to my much larger 'Dilgar War' story with many of the same characters. After a couple of multi year breaks it did deserve those last few chapters tagging on finally!
> 
> After rewriting and tidying this up and finding it pretty easy I aim to do the same for the 'Dilgar War' story over the next several months to post here as a sort of definitive version. One day.


End file.
